Science Advisory Report 2019/059

Assessment of lobster (Homarus americanus) on the North Shore (LFAs 15, 16 and 18) and at Anticosti Island (LFA 17), Quebec, in 2018

Summary

• Lobster landings on the North Shore increased significantly between 2015-2018 (82% in LFA 15, 305% in LFA 16, and 423% in LFA 18). The 2018 values are at historic peaks and two-thirds of the increase would be due to increased fishing effort. On Anticosti Island (17B), landings also reached an all-time peak, rising from 504 t in 2015 to 782 t in 2018.
• In LFAs 15 and 16, catch per unit effort (CPUE) by weight from commercial sampling increased by 27% between 2015 and 2018 and by 137% compared to the historical average (1993-2017), while fishing effort has been increasing since 2015. In LFA 18, the 2018 CPUE by weight was 44% higher than in 2015 and 112% higher than the historical average (2012-2017) for fishing effort that has been increasing since 2014. In LFA 17, the 2018 CPUE by weight from logbooks was 33% higher than in 2015 and 114% higher than the historical average (2006-2017) for an increased fishing effort since 2011.
• Commercial sampling for demographic indicators is very limited in this region, especially in LFAs 15, 16 and 18. In LFA 17B, size structures are broad, but the average size is decreasing possibly due to increased recruitment.
• Abundance indicators (landings and CPUE) are up sharply on the North Shore and at Anticosti Island. Lobster populations in these areas appear to be in good condition, but are characterized by slow growth as well as late sexual maturity and at larger size (90 mm and over). Given that legal size is smaller than size at sexual maturity, these populations may be vulnerable to over-harvesting. In the context of increasing fishing effort in these regions and changes in the environment, it would be important to rapidly develop or update the biological knowledge essential for the sustainable management of these stocks.

This Science Advisory Report is from the March 12-14, 2019 regional peer review meeting on the Assessment of the lobster in Quebec’s inshore waters. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.