Science Response 2018/003

Stock Status Update of Scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) in Scallop Production Areas 1 to 6 in the Bay of Fundy

Context

Advice on the status of Scallop in Scallop Production Areas (SPAs) 1 to 6 in the Bay of Fundy (BoF) is requested annually by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Resource Management to help determine a total allowable catch (TAC, meat weight) in support of the fishery.  Scallop in SPAs 1 to 6 is assessed on a multiyear assessment schedule, with Update reports produced in interim years.  The last full assessment of the BoF Scallop occurred in 2015 (DFO 2016, Nasmith et al. 2016). A stock status update was provided for the 2016/2017 season in 2016 (DFO 2017).

The objectives of this report are to: identify the consequences of different harvest levels in SPAs 1A, 1B, 3, 4, 5, and 6 for the 2017/2018 season, provide advice on the interim harvest levels for the start of the 2018/2019 season for SPAs 1A, 1B, 3, and 4, and identify all information on fishery by-catch of non-target species.  If information is available, identify any notable changes in occurrence of bycatch species relative to previous years. Interim harvest levels are provided for the following fishing year to allow the fishery to start in October before annual assessment or update results are available (November). Landing values from 2017 reported here are preliminary (as of Nov. 10, 2017) and are post-quota reconciliation.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process of 29 November, 2017, on the Stock Status Update of Bay of Fundy Scallop in Scallop Production Areas (SPAs) 1A, 1B, and 3-6.

Complete document (PDF, 3,015 KB)

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