Science Advisory Report 2013/058

Assessment of Georges Bank Scallops (Placopecten magellanicus)

Summary

• The 2012 total allowable catch (TAC) was 4,000 t for zone ‘a’ and 50 t for zone ‘b’. Total reported landings were 4,001 t for zone ‘a’ and 47 t for zone ‘b’.
• The commercial catch rate for zone ‘a’ has increased from 17.31 kg/hm in 2011 to 20.64 kg/hm 2012 and is above the long-term median of 10.15 kg/hm
• By-catch estimates of yellowtail flounder were 46 t in 2012 and were very similar to discards in 2011 of 51 t. Estimated discards of cod increased from 29 t in 2011 to 41 t in 2012, and estimated discards of haddock increased from 15 t in 2011 to 28 t in 2012.
• The survey indices for recruits and fully recruited scallops were above their respective 31-year median levels in 2012 while the index for pre-recruits was at the 31-year median level. The abundance of recruits and fully recruited scallops has decreased from 120 and 182 scallops per tow in 2011 to 58 and 158 scallops per tow in 2012, respectively
• Fully recruited biomass, estimated to be 23,400 t in 2012, increased from the 2011 estimate (21,370 t) and was above the 26-year median biomass of 14,810 t. Recruit biomass, estimated to be 4,685 t in 2012 declined from the 2011 estimate (7,657 t), but was still above the 26-year median biomass of 2,995 t.
• The 2013 interim TAC of 4,000 t is expected to result in an exploitation rate of 0.16, and incoming recruitment is expected to be above the median. Harvest scenarios ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 t are all predicted to yield increases in commercial biomass for 2013 with a probability of decline ranging from 0.36 to 0.48.

This Science Advisory Report is from the May 1, 2013, Assessment of Georges and Browns Bank Scallop. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

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