Terms of Reference

Assessment of the status of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence snow crab stock

Regional Peer Review – Gulf Region

February 7 and 8, 2012
Moncton, New Brunswick

Chairperson: Marc Lanteigne (DFO Gulf Region)

Context

In support of fisheries management needs, Science Branch Gulf Region undertakes a peer review of the stock status of the snow crab biological unit of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (management areas 12, 12E, 12F and 19).

Objectives

Develop science advice for the management of the snow crab stock for the southern Gulf of Saint Lawrence biological unit for the 2012 fishing season. The following considerations and items will be on the agenda for this peer review meeting.

• Present a summary of the conclusions and recommendations of the framework review of November 2011 on the assessment methods for snow crab from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.
  
  
• Present for each of the four management areas in the southern Gulf (12, 12E, 12F, 19):
  • commercial fishery statistics for the 2011 fishing season (catches, landings and effort, sea sampling),
  • indicators of the fishery: catch per unit of effort, carapace conditions, size and carapace condition of commercial size crab.
    
    
• Present the following estimates based on the data of the post-fishery directed snow crab trawl survey for 2011 and previous years:
  • estimates of the exploitable biomass for the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence biological unit,
    • for the standard polygon of 44,302 km²
    • for the extended polygon of 20 to 200 fathoms
  • estimates of the abundance of male crab recruitment for the southern Gulf biological unit for the near future,
    • for the standard polygon of 44,302 km²
    • for the extended polygon of 20 to 200 fathoms
  • estimates of the present and future abundance of the spawning stock of the southern Gulf biological unit,
  • size structure of the male and female crab by stage of maturity for the southern Gulf biological unit,
  • estimates of the exploitation rates of the commercially exploitable biomass for the southern Gulf biological unit.
    
    
• Perform projections, which incorporate uncertainty, of the exploitable biomass of commercial sized crab in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence biological unit for 2012,
• for the standard polygon of 44,302 km²
• for the extended polygon of 20 to 200 fathoms.
  
  
• Present revised reference points for the southern Gulf biological unit to be used for the assessment based on the extended polygon of 20 to 200 fathoms.
  
  
• Perform a risk analysis of different catch options for 2012. This risk analysis will be prepared for the southern Gulf biological stock and relative to the reference points (limit, upper reference) for the southern Gulf biological unit.
• for the standard polygon of 44,302 km²
• for the extended polygon of 20 to 200 fathoms.
  
  
• Using results from the extended polygon, present the commercial biomass estimates for each of the four management areas (12, 12E, 12F and 19). These estimates are presented to assist management in assessing the relative importance of the biomass in each fishing zone.
  
  
• Present the information on the environmental factors which may influence the abundance and population dynamic of the snow crab stock pf the southern Gulf and an overview of new knowledge or research questions which would lead to improvements in the scientific advice required for fisheries management.

Expected publications

• CSAS Science advisory report for the status of the snow crab biological unit of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (management units 12, 12E, 12F, and 19). The final science advice for catch options in 2012 will be based on the assessment methods accepted during the November 2011 framework review including the extended polygon of 20 to 200 fathoms and the associated revised reference points.
• CSAS proceedings report summarizing the discussions of the science review.
• CSAS research document(s).

Participation

• DFO Science Branch
• Other DFO Sectors
• Provinces
• External experts (to DFO)
• Fishing industry
• Aboriginal peoples