Terms of Reference
Zonal Advisory Meeting
Assessment of Capelin, Mackerel, 4T and 4VWX Herring
March 17-20, 2008
Moncton, NB
Chairperson: Gérald Chaput
Mackerel (NAFO Subareas 3 & 4)
Herring (4VWX) - March 17, 2008
Context
Every winter, Maritimes DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management (FAM) requests DFO Science to undertake an assessment of the 4VWX herring management unit in support of the upcoming fishery. A new framework for conducting the annual assessment was initiated in 2006 but has not yet been completed. Thus, the 2008 assessment of the status of 4VWX herring will be conducted using the same assessment approach, as was done in 2007. The goal of the meeting will be to develop stock status conclusions and advice and complete the Science Advisory Report.
Objectives
Review and evaluate biological and fishery information on 4VWX herring stock status for establishing the final quota for 2008/2009 fisheries, as required in the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan, including:
• Evaluation of the southwest Nova Scotia / Bay of Fundy spawning component,.
• Compilation and review of information regarding the offshore Scotian Shelf spawning component and the coastal Nova Scotia spawning component.
• Update on southwest New Brunswick migrant juvenile fishery component.
• Update of progress to date with ageing studies and workshop held in January 2008.
• Analysis of impacts of harvesting on size and age and the long-term effects on biomass.
• Recommendations to management regarding catch levels.
Outputs
• CSAS Science Advisory Report
• CSAS Proceedings
• CSAS Research Documents summarizing the working papers
Participation
The DFO Science assessment team in St. Andrews, N.B. will prepare working papers for review. Meeting participants will be invited from the following:
• Chairperson: Gérald Chaput DFO
• DFO Science
• DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
• Provincial government
• Fishing industry
• Aboriginal communities
• FRCC
Herring (4T) - March 18-19, 2008
Context
The DFO Gulf Oceans and Science Branch reviews the status of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence 4T spring and fall herring stocks in support of requests from DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management. The 2008 science review will focus its attention on the two spawning components of 4T herring and provide catch options in a risk analysis framework relative to the probability of meeting the management objectives for this resource for 2008.
Objectives
Assessment of the status of the spring and fall spawning components of herring in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence including:
• Information on catches to the end of 2007, including best estimates of total removals by all fisheries.
• Key indicators of stock status and trends (commercial catch rates and acoustic survey, size and/or age composition, etc.).
• Available information from resource users on recent stock status relative to historical stock levels.
• Evaluation of the appropriateness and results of the population model (Sequential Population Analysis) for spring and fall components.
• Analyses of other key stock status indicators as appropriate.
• Where possible, a quantitative risk analysis of catch options relative to the probability of meeting defined management objectives for these stocks for 2008
Outputs
• CSAS Stock Assessment Report (SAR) for southern Gulf of St. Lawrence spring and fall herring – due date March 28, 2008
• CSAS Proceedings summarizing the discussion
• CSAS Research Document of the assessment of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence spring and fall herring
Participation
• Chairperson : Gérald Chaput, DFO
• DFO Science assessment team : Claude LeBlanc, Ghislain Chouinard
• DFO Science
• DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
• Aboriginal communities
• Industry sector
• Provincial governments
• FRCC
Capelin (4RST) - March 19, 2008
Context
The DFO Science Branch reviews the status of the capelin resource in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 4RST in support of requests from DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management.
Objectives
To formulate scientific advice for the management of the 4RST capelin stock for the 2008 fishing season. This advice will include an assessment of the status of capelin stock, based on:
• An analysis of the commercial fishery statistics following the 2007 season (overall distribution of landings, breakdown by province, division, month and fishing gear),
• an examination of the catches made in particular in Newfoundland and Quebec Lower North Shore / Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence
• A discussion on the quality of the fishery statistics and review of the main sources of uncertainties
• An analysis of the data collected in the main landing ports by port samplers or at sea by observers (size structure and most important biological parameters
• An analysis of the shrimpers by-catches in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
• An analysis of the catches (index of dispersion) of the groundfish research surveys made in the southern and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence Specific elements related to the update of the relevant data to the management of the capelin stock such as :
• Comments from industry. Perspectives and/or recommendations on the pertinence of decreasing, increasing or maintaining the TAC for the 2008 fishing season.
Outputs
• CSAS Stock Assessment Report (SAR) for capelin 4RST
• CSAS Proceedings summarizing the discussion
• CSAS Research Document of the assessment of the Gulf of St. Lawrence capelin resource
Participation
• Chairperson: Gérald Chaput, DFO
• DFO Science assessment team: François Grégoire
• DFO Science
• DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
• Aboriginal communities
• Industry sector
• Provincial governments
Mackerel (NAFO Subareas 3 & 4) - March 20, 2008
Context
The DFO Science Branch reviews the status of the Atlantic mackerel stock in NAFO Subareas 3 and 4 (Canada’s east coast) in support of requests from DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management.
Objectives
To provide scientific advice on the management of the Atlantic mackerel stock in NAFO Subareas 3 and 4 (Canada’s east coast) for the 2008 fishing season. This advice will include:
• An assessment of the status of mackerel stock, based on:
-an analysis of the commercial fishery statistics following the 2007 season (overall distribution of landings, breakdown by country, province, states, division, month, and fishing gear)
-a more particular examination of the catches made in Newfoundland (geographic and temporal distribution)
-an analysis of the by-catches from the research groundfish surveys conducted on the Scotian Shelf and in US waters
-a discussion on the quality of the fishery statistics and a review of the main sources of uncertainty
-an analysis of the biological data collected in the main port of landings by port samplers or at sea by observers (distribution, size structure, catch and weight at age, and calculation of the most important biological parameters)
• the results of the most recent egg survey in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence
-the results of a study concerning the utilization of GAM (Generalized Additive Model) for the calculation of the mean egg density
• the results of the egg and larval surveys conducted on the west coast of Newfoundland in 2004, 2005 and 2007 (distribution and abundance of mackerel eggs and larvae, calculation of the spawning stock biomass);
• the results of a study concerning the exploration of some VPA models from the most recent US index of abundance.
• Specific elements related to the update of the relevant data to the management of mackerel such as:
-comments from the Industry
-Atlantic wide advisory committee, sharing of the resources with the United States and next Integrated Management Plan.
• Perspectives and/or recommendations on the pertinence of decreasing, increasing or maintaining the TAC for 2008.
Outputs
• CSAS Stock Assessment Report (SAR) for mackerel NAFO areas 3 & 4
• CSAS Proceedings summarizing the discussion
• CSAS Research Document of the assessment of the mackerel resource of NAFO areas 3 & 4
Participation
• Chairperson: Gérald Chaput, DFO
• DFO Science assessment team: François Grégoire
• DFO Science
• DFO Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
• Aboriginal communities
• Industry sector
• Provincial governments
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