Science Response 2017/033

Stock Status Update of Georges Bank Scallops (Placopecten magellanicus)

Context

Advice on the status of the Georges Bank Scallop stock is requested annually by Fisheries and Ocean Canada (DFO) Resource Management to help determine a total allowable catch (TAC, meat weight) in support of the fishery.  The purpose of this report is to update the status of Georges Bank Scallop with data from the 2016 Scallop survey and fishery to provide science advice for the management of the 2017 fishery. The last peer-reviewed Regional Advisory Process for this stock occurred in 2013 (DFO 2013, Hubley et al. 2013) and updates were conducted for years 2014-2016 (DFO 2014, 2015, 2016).

The management of the main Scallop fishery on Georges Bank refers to zone ‘a’. Georges Bank zone ‘b’ is a marginal growth area for scallops and has separate management measures (Appendix 1). The assessment and advice presented in this document uses the assessment framework established in 2009 (Jonsen et al. 2009) and are for Georges Bank zone ‘a’ only; some elements of the fishery in zone ‘b’ are also presented for historical purposes.

This Science Response reports results from the Science Response Process of April 3, 2017, on the Stock Status Update of Offshore Scallop: Browns Bank North and Georges Bank.

Complete document (PDF, 708 KB)

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