Terms of Reference

Meeting of the Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Advisory Process (RAP) on 3Ps Cod

September 29 - October 2^nd and October 5 - 6^th, 2009

Admirals Green Clubhouse,

460 Allandale Road, Pippy Park, St. John’s NL

Chairperson: Karen Dwyer

Context

The status of Subdivision 3Ps cod was last assessed in early 2009. The current assessment is requested by Fisheries and Aquaculture Management to provide the Minister with detailed advice on the status of the stock and the implications of a possible cod fishery on this stock in 2010.

Objectives

• Assess and report on the current status of the 3Ps cod stock. In particular, assess current spawning biomass, total (age 3+) biomass, exploitation rate, natural mortality and biological characteristics (including age composition, size at age, age at maturity, and distribution). Describe these variables in relation to historic observations.
• Further to the previous assessment, analyze the year classes subsequent to the relatively strong year classes of 1997 & 1998 as it relates to the long term growth and sustainability of the stock.
• To the extent possible with available information, provide information on the strengths of year-classes expected to enter the exploitable populations in the next 1-3 years.
• Highlight major sources of uncertainty in the assessment, and where appropriate, consider alternative analytical formulations of the assessment.
• Describe the status of the stock relative to the biological limit reference point identified in the last assessment (1994 spawning stock biomass level).
• Assess the implications on the stock by fishing at selected TAC levels: 10,000t, 11,500t, 13,000t, and 15,000t.
• There is currently a spawning period from April 1 – June 30 for the offshore and April 1 – May 30 for the inshore. Since some fleets have requested to fish cod during these times, are these spawning times still accurate? What is the impact of cod removals in the range of 500t in March and April.
• Report on results of tagging and the distribution of this stock in other areas (eg.3L/3Pn).

Products

Participation