Science Advisory Report  2013/068

Assessment of American Lobster in Newfoundland

Summary

Overall (LFAs 3-14)

• The Newfoundland lobster assessment was completed for four assessment regions which are a geographical grouping of LFAs into Northeast (LFAs 3-6), Avalon (LFAs 7-10), South Coast (LFAs 11-12) and West Coast (LFAs 13-14).
• The fishery has always been a recruit-based fishery, therefore reported landings reflect abundance. Reported landings are going down in the Northeast and Avalon and going up on the South and West Coasts.
• Total reported landings for Newfoundland have remained relatively stable since the 1960s. Reported landings increased by 70% from 1760 t in 2000 to 3000 t in 2008 before declining by 28% to 2150 t in 2012 resulting from a decrease in the Northeast and Avalon regions and an increase in the South and West Coasts.
• The reported landings have become spatially concentrated. The contribution of the most productive LFAs (11) to the reported landings has increased from less than 15% in the early 1990s to around 45% in the last three years.
• Nominal effort (based on active fishers, trap limits and fishing days) has decreased by 31% since 2008, due to license retirements, fewer active fishers, shorter seasons, and trap limit reductions.
• Catch per Unit Effort has changed little over the time period for which data are available (2004-12).
• It appears that the survival fraction has increased, since 2008, in all regions except for the Northeast. It appears that the survival fraction in the South and West Coast regions is lower than the Northeast and Avalon regions.

Northeast Region (LFAs 3-6)

• Reported landings have declined from about 750 t in the early 1990s to 140 t in 2012. The greatest declines have occurred in LFAs 4.
• Nominal effort has decreased by 33% since 2008 due to fewer active fishers.
• Mean CPUE has changed little since 2004 in all LFAs.
• Lobster survival has gradually decreased from a peak in 2008, based on molt class ratios for males and females.
• Since 2006 the percent v-notching has remained between 8% and 13%.

Avalon Region (LFAs 7–10)

• Reported landings have declined from about 460 t in the early 1990s to about 50 t in 2012.  The greatest declines have occurred in LFA 10, the most productive LFA in this region.
• Nominal effort has decreased by 46% since 2008 due to fewer active fishers and shorter seasons.
• Mean CPUE has changed little since 2005 in LFAs 8-10 whereas it gradually increased in LFA 7.
• Lobster survival gradually increased from 2008 to 2011 before declining slightly in 2012, based on molt class ratios for males and females.
• Since 2006 the percent v-notching in this region has remained between 13% and 23%.

South Coast Region (LFAs 11–12)

• Reported landings increased from about 400 t in the early 1990s to peak at 1300 t in 2010.  They decreased to 990 t in 2011 and then increased to 1100 t in 2012.  The greatest increase occurred in LFA 11, the LFA with the highest reported landings in all years.
• Nominal effort has decreased by 23% since 2008 due to license retirements, fewer active fishers, shorter seasons and trap limit reductions.
• Mean CPUE has increased slightly since 2004 in both LFAs.
• Lobster survival was lowest in 2005-08 based on molt class ratios for males and females.  It increased in 2009 and declined gradually to 2011 before increasing sharply in 2012 to the highest levels in the time series.
• Since 2006 the percent v-notching has remained between 4% and 7%.

West Coast Region (LFAs 13–14)

• Reported landings increased from about 750 t in 2000 to 1400 t in 2008 before declining to about 770 t in 2011 and increasing to about 880 t in 2012.
• Nominal effort has decreased by 29% since 2008 due to license retirements, fewer active fishers, and trap limit reductions.
• Mean CPUE has varied without trend since 2004 in all LFAs with the highest mean CPUE in LFA 13.
• Lobster survival gradually increased since 2007, based on molt class ratios for males and females, with a sharper increase for females than males in 2012.
• Since 2006 the percent v-notching has remained between 8% and 12%.

This Science Advisory Report is from the May 15-16 and May 21-22, 2013 Meeting of the Newfoundland & Labrador Regional Advisory Process (RAP) on Lobster. 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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