Science Response 2012/041

Probability of spot prawn (Pandalus platyceros) stocks in fall survey areas in British Columbia being below spawner index reference points during the spawning period

Context

Since 2001, fishery independent sampling of Spot Prawn ( Pandalus platyceros, hereafter referred to as “prawn”) stocks in selected areas along the coast of British Columbia has been conducted annually by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in the fall, prior to spawning season. This sampling occurs in waters neighbouring urban populated areas where commercial, recreational, and First Nation prawn harvest takes place. For this report, these areas are referred to as “fall survey areas”.

Harvest of prawns by the commercial fishery is monitored in-season through an industry-funded program that collects spawner index (SI) data. Commercial closures are triggered using escapement based SI reference points. The commercial fishery opens in early May and closes once the SI reference point is reached, typically late June or early July. Normally, for most areas along the coast the recreational fishery for prawns occurs year-round. The exception to this is in the fall survey areas where fall fishery-independent sampling provides the SI data necessary for DFO Fisheries Management (FM) to manage the recreational fishery. If the SI threshold falls below the pre-determined reference point the area is closed to recreational fishing for a 3 month period during the prawn spawning period (January to March).

Continuation of the DFO fall fishery-independent sampling program for 2012 and beyond is uncertain. While DFO continues to seek options to continue fall sampling, FM has requested a review of the 2001 to 2011 sampling results in relation to SI reference points in the fall survey areas. In the absence of fall SI sampling, there could be negative impacts to prawn stocks if directed harvest continues and stocks breach SI thresholds. Due to the likelihood of no fall sampling and the short timeframe for the finalization of the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP), a Science Response was requested by FM to provide specific advice on:

1. The probability of prawn stocks being below spawner index reference points during the spawning period, based on the past fall sampling results; and,
2. Identifying any area differences in probability by fall survey area groupings and by Pacific Fishery Management Area (PFMA) sub-area groupings.

This report provides probability estimates, based on the 2001 to 2011 fall sampling, of prawn stocks being below SI reference points in the fall survey areas.

This Science Response is from the March 15, 2012 meeting on the Probability of Spot Prawn (Pandalus Platycerso) Stocks in High-Use Areas in British Columbia being below Spawner Index Reference Points during the Spawning Period to review the results of the fall fishery-independent prawn sampling program in relation to SI reference points.

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