Terms of Reference

Review of Framework and Assessment of LFA 41 (4X + 5Zc) Lobster

Regional Peer Review - Maritimes Region

December 3-4, 2013, and January 9, 2014
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Chairperson: Christie Whelan

Context

Lobsters (Homarus americanus) are found in coastal waters from southern Labrador to Maryland, with the major fisheries concentrated around the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Gulf of Maine. Though lobster are most common in coastal waters, they are also found in deeper, warm water areas of the Gulf of Maine and along the outer edge of the continental shelf from Sable Island to off North Carolina.

The status of the lobster fishing area (LFA) 41 offshore lobster resources in the Maritimes was last assessed in 2009. Indicators for lobster in LFA 41 are required to remain consistent with Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) precautionary approach and for the evaluation and monitoring of the fishery.

Fisheries Management has asked DFO Maritimes Science to conduct an assessment on the status of offshore lobster in LFA 41 to establish the scientific basis for management advice in 2013/14.  An assessment framework (similar to the recent LFA 34-38 structure) is required to review current indices, where possible, in a manner consistent with the DFO precautionary approach.  The framework should include an evaluation and monitoring of the indicators and other events that could trigger an earlier than scheduled assessment.

Objectives

Part 1 – Framework Review

• Briefly describe the basis of the management units in context of stock structure, including available information on genetics, larval drift and movement.
  
  
• Briefly summarize relevant biological and ecological information:
  • Life history, moulting, recruitment, size at maturity, etc. 
  • Incidental catch; fishery footprint 
  • Environmental data, e.g., temperature, oceanographic data
    
    
• Identify strengths and weaknesses of fishery and survey data inputs for providing indicators of abundance, size structure, recruitment, effort, and spatial distribution of catch using: 
  • At sea sampling protocols
  • Observer sampling
  • Logbooks
  • Trawl survey data
    
    
• Present rationale for proposed traffic light approach and the proposed set of primary and secondary indicators and reference points based on trawl surveys and at sea sampling. Provide guidelines on the interpretation of levels and trends of these indicators.

Part 2 – Assessment

• Apply this suite of indicators and guidelines to the current information to assess the stock status of the LFA 41 lobster stocks as of the end of the 2012 season:
  
  
  • Report primary and, where appropriate, secondary indicator trends using a traffic light approach:
    • Abundance - legal sizes
    • Abundance - prerecruits
    • Reproduction (spawners, egg production)
    • Fishery performance
    • Fishing pressure and relative exploitation rate and the consequences of maintaining the current harvest levels
    • Production
    • Ecosystem
      
      
  • Review the proposed reference points in relation to both primary and secondary indicators for LFA 41 and reference levels or boundaries in relation to the current management strategy.
    
    
• Estimate the level of incidental catch (including lobster) and the retention of non-lobster species (e.g. Jonah Crab), and report on information available on the survival of discarded species.
  
  
• Review of reporting procedures and guidelines for the monitoring of indicators and other events that could trigger an earlier than scheduled assessment.  Provide recommendations on the schedule for on going assessment of LFA 41 lobster.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report  
• Proceedings 
• Research Document

Participation

• DFO Maritimes Science 
• DFO Maritimes Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
• Provincial Government representatives
• Industry, including lobster advisory committee members
• First Nations
• Invited reviewers