Science Response 2021/023

Stock Status Update of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) in NAFO Divisions 4X5Yb for 2020

Context

Although Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Divisions 4X5Yb have supported a commercial fishery since the 1700s, their abundance has declined in number and biomass since the 1990s. In 2003, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assessed the Maritimes Designatable Unit (DU) of Atlantic Cod as Special Concern (COSEWIC 2003). In 2010, COSEWIC split the Maritimes DU into two new DUs, the Laurentian South DU and the Southern DU, and re-assessed the Southern DU as Endangered due to significant decline in abundance and evidence of an unexplained increase in natural mortality in 4X (COSEWIC 2010).

A Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) was carried out by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science in 2011 to provide the information and scientific advice required to meet various requirements of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The RPA used data (1980–2008) from the 2008 stock assessment (DFO 2009) to explore the consequences of particular productivity assumptions and catch scenarios (DFO 2011a). The last 4X5Yb Atlantic Cod stock assessment was in 2018 (DFO 2019), and the present Science Response is the result of a request for a stock status update from Fisheries Management (Maritimes Region) using the most recent DFO Summer Research Vessel (RV) surveys (2019–2020) and fisheries landing data up to 2019.

This Science Response Report results from the Regional Science Response Process of December 1-2, 2020, on the Stock Status Updates of Groundfish Stocks in the Maritimes Region.

Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

Science Response 2021/023 (PDF, 1,249 KB)

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