Terms of Reference

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

Regional Peer Review – Gulf Region

January 30 and 31, 2013
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 (Chionecetes opilio) 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 2013 fishing season. The following considerations and items will be on the agenda for this peer review meeting.

• Present for each of the four management areas in the southern Gulf (12, 12E, 12F, 19):
  • commercial fishery statistics for the 2012 fishing season (catches, landings and effort, sea sampling),
  • indicators of fishery performance: catch per unit of effort, carapace conditions, size and carapace condition of commercial size crab.
    
    
• Present the following estimates based on the post-fishery directed snow crab trawl survey for the extended polygon of 20 to 200 fathoms for 2012 and previous years:
  • the exploitable biomass,
  • the abundance of male crab recruitment for the near future,
  • the present and future abundance of the spawning stock,
  • the size structure of the male and female crab by stage of maturity,
  • the exploitation rates of the commercially exploitable biomass.
    
    
• Present analyses of indicators of snow crab abundance and distribution based on the September multi-species research vessel survey of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.
  
  
• Perform projections, which incorporate uncertainty, of the commercial biomass for 2013 and 2014.
  
  
• Perform a risk analysis of different catch options for 2013. This risk analysis will be prepared for the southern Gulf biological unit and relative to the reference points (limit, upper reference) for the southern Gulf biological unit.
  
  
• Present 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 of 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).
• 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