Terms of Reference

Northwest Atlantic Spiny Dogfish Framework and Assessment

Maritimes Regional Science Advisory Process

Part 1: January 20-21, 2014
Part 2: May 29, 2014
Dartmouth, NS

Chairpersons: Christie Whelan and Tana Worcester

Context

The Northwest Atlantic Spiny Dogfish is a transboundary resource with significant catches in Canada and the United States (USA). Although a joint Canada-US Transboundary Resources Assessment Committee (TRAC) assessment was held in early 2010, there was no consensus on the new assessment model. Canada currently has no reference points and no scientifically-based management plan.

Fisheries Management has asked DFO Maritimes Science to complete a framework and conduct an assessment on the status of the Northwest Atlantic Spiny Dogfish.  A combination of a framework and stock assessment will provide DFO with an assessment for the Northwest Atlantic Spiny Dogfish resource and approach upon which to base management advice. The framework should include an evaluation and monitoring of the indicators and other events that could trigger an earlier than scheduled assessment.

The last DFO assessment of spiny dogfish occurred in May 2011; however the model was not accepted. 

Objectives

• Review and evaluate biological and fishery information on Spiny Dogfish stock status as it relates to Canada and characterize the uncertainty of the results.  In particular, provide information on distribution, biomass estimates and age and sex composition, highlighting any trends over the long-term (length of assessment) and most recent period (5 years).
• Review the formulation of an assessment model for the northwest Atlantic stock which takes into account catch and abundance indices in Canada and the U.S.A., as well as transboundary mixing.
• Applying the accepted framework assessment model, evaluate the consequences of different harvest levels over a five year time period (2014/15 – 2018/19) on stock abundance and exploitation rate. 
• Identify appropriate biological reference points for Northwest Atlantic Spiny Dogfish and evaluate the current status of the stock in relation to these reference points.  Comment on the uncertainty and relative informative value of the candidate reference points.
• Report on the level of discards of Spiny Dogfish in the multi-species groundfish fishery and comment on the expected impacts of these discards (e.g. survivorship).
• Report on the bycatch of non-target species in the Spiny Dogfish fishery in 4VWX5 and identify any notable changes in the occurrence of these species relative to previous years.
• Provide recommendations on the schedule for ongoing assessment Northwest Atlantic Spiny Dogfish. Outline a process and guidelines for the monitoring of indicators and other events (e.g., decision-rules) that could trigger an earlier than scheduled assessment. 

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document(s)
• Proceedings

Participation

• DFO Science
• DFO Fisheries Management
• Provincial representatives
• Industry
• NGOs
• Aboriginal groups and organizations
• Invited external reviewer(s)