Science Advisory Report  2016/021

Assessment of Lumpfish (Cyclopterus Lumpus) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (3Pn, 4RS) in 2015

Summary

• Lumpfish roe landings in 3Pn and 4RS dropped significantly from an annual average of 349 t for the 1986-2009 period to 35 t for the 2010-2015 period.
• The number of active fishers fell from an annual average of 404 for the 1986-2009 period to 65 for the 2010-2015 period. Since 2013, all fishing activity has been concentrated in the 4Ra unit area, whereas traditionally it took place in Subdivision 3Pn, along the west coast of Newfoundland, and along the Lower North Shore in unit area 4Sw.
• The decline in landings and fishing effort could be due in part to factors such as market conditions, a synchronization of fishing with the arrival of females in coastal waters, weather conditions and the possibility of more lucrative fisheries.
• The fishery performance index shows cyclical, synchronous variations in every Division. This index was low from 2009 to 2012. In 4Ra in 2015, the index was the same as the 1986-2014 average.
• According to DFO's annual survey in August, lumpfish are a rare catch and are not very abundant but are widely distributed in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The highest concentrations are observed along the North Shore.
• The bulk of the lumpfish captured in DFO's survey were juveniles. Given the scarcity of mature individuals in the survey, we are unable to comment on the status of this resource.
• This fishery targets gravid females. Moreover, local over-exploitation is possible given that lumpfish seem to return to the same spawning sites every year.
• The sharp decline in landings and effort suggests a significant decline in resource abundance since 2006. The abundance of lumpfish seems to fluctuate on a cyclical basis and has been low since 2009. Despite uncertainty as to the causes of this low abundance, the vulnerability of this resource to reproductive potential overfishing argues for a very cautious approach.

This scientific advisory report stems from the meeting of 18 February 2016 on the Assessment of Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO) Divisions 4RS and Subdivision 3Pn Lumpfish. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

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