Science Advisory Report 2013/059

Assessment of Browns Bank North Scallops (Placopecten magellanicus)

Summary

• The 2012 TAC was 500 t for Browns Bank north and total reported landings were 475 t.
• The commercial catch rate in 2012 was at the long-term median (1991-2009).
• In 2012, the survey index for pre-recruits was similar to what it was in the early 2000s and well below the 21-year (1991-2011) median. The 2005 year-class is now mainly fully recruited to the fishery and survey indices of recruit and fully recruited scallops were near their respective 21-year (1991-2011) median levels.
• The overall condition factor for Browns Bank north in May 2012 was 11.83 g/dm³. This was an increase from 11.03 g/dm³ in 2011 but is still below the long term mean of 12.62 g/dm³.
• Fully recruited biomass, estimated to be 5,950 t in 2012, increased slightly from the 2011 estimate (5,504 t) and is approximately equal to the 21-year median biomass of 5,807 t
• The 2013 interim TAC of 750 t will result in an exploitation rate of 0.13. Biomass is expected to remain relatively stable, however there is little indication of strong year classes in the near future.
• Harvest scenarios ranging from 200 t to 1000 t were examined and all had moderate (0.40-0.56) probability of decline in commercial biomass for 2013. Biomass change ranged from 9 to -5 % for the range of catches considered here.

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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