Science Response 2013/020
Scallop Fishery Area/Time Closure to Reduce Yellowtail Flounder By-catch on Georges Bank in 2013
Context
An area of Georges Bank, approximately 38 nautical miles2, was closed to the offshore scallop fishery during June 2012 to reduce yellowtail flounder by-catch. The closure area was determined following a review of yellowtail flounder by-catch distribution and relative abundance during the month of June (which coincides with the latter part of the spawning season and the opening of the Georges Bank groundfish fishery) and was based on observed groundfish trips from the otter trawl fleet (2005–2011) and observed scallop fishing trips (2001-2011, except 2003). Temporal trends in the distribution of the offshore scallop fishery between 1997 and 2011 were also considered. The methodology for the development of scallop fishery time/area closures to reduce yellowtail bycatch follows that initially described in DFO, 2007.
This report provides an update to the 2012 report (DFO 2012) on the scallop fishery area/time closure to reduce yellowtail flounder by-catch on Georges Bank, and includes an analysis of 2012 yellowtail by-catch rates based on observed trips from the groundfish otter-trawl fishery and the offshore scallop fishery on Georges Bank. Seasonal and geographic distribution patterns of yellowtail by-catch in both fisheries were also evaluated since yellowtail discard rates in the scallop fishery are traditionally at seasonal highs during the second quarter (April to June) which coincides with the time of yellowtail spawning on eastern Georges Bank (O’Brien et al., 1993). Although there were also several exploratory yellowtail-directed trips carried out in 5Zm in 2012, they were considered to be different from groundfish otter trawl trips where yellowtail occur as a bycatch and therefore were not included in the updated analyses.
This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process of May 2013 on the Update for Scallop Fishery Area/Time Closure to Reduce Yellowtail Flounder By-catch on Georges Bank in 2013.
