Terms of Reference

Assessment of Atlantic Halibut on the

Scotian Shelf and Southern Grand Banks

(Div. 3NOPs4VWX+5Zc)

Maritimes Region Science Advisory Process

10-11 March 2009

Georges Needler II Boardroom

Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO)

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Chairperson: Tana Worcester

Context

A single management area encompassing the Scotian Shelf and southern Grand Banks (3NOPs4VWX+5Zc) has been established for Atlantic halibut on the basis of tagging experiments conducted during 1958-1973 which suggested that Atlantic halibut move extensively throughout most of the Canadian Northwest Atlantic.

Prior to 1998, the assessment of the Atlantic halibut resource was hindered by absence of a reliable time series of abundance. The annual Department of Fisheries & Oceans (DFO) summer bottom trawl survey is thought to provide information on incoming recruitment (<81 cm); however, it does not monitor the complete geographic range of the stock and lacks information on the adult (≥ 81 cm) portion of the population. In cooperation with DFO Science, the halibut industry initiated a long line survey in 1998 that catches the full size/age structure over most of the stock area. Since its implementation, halibut stock status has been largely based on this survey’s catch rate trends.

A new assessment framework is currently under development for Atlantic halibut but will not be complete in time to provide advice in support of the 2009 fishery.

An assessment meeting will be held to provide harvest advice for the 2009 fishery. Specifically, this meeting will address the question posed by Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Branch in 2009, which was: “What would be the impact(s) of a 15% increase to the TAC for Atlantic halibut in 2009/2010 (i.e., an increase from 1475 mt to 1700 mt?).

Objectives

• Report on all current removals, including surveys and commercial by-catch of Atlantic halibut.
• Report on recent catch rate and distribution trends from the Atlantic halibut industry survey.
• Evaluate what the impact of a 15% increase to the TAC (i.e., an increase from 1475 mt to 1700 mt) would have on Atlantic halibut in 2009/2010. Report on these impacts for the exploitable population.

Outputs

CSAS Science Advisory Report 
CSAS Proceedings of the discussion of meetings
CSAS Research Document

Participation

DFO Science
DFO FAM
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick provincial representatives
Fishing industry
Aboriginal communities / organizations
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)