Terms of Reference

Atlantic mackerel in subareas 3 and 4

Regional Peer Review - Quebec Region

March 4, 2014
Mont-Joli, Quebec

Chairperson: Martin Castonguay

Context

In the Maritime Provinces, in Newfoundland and in Quebec (NAFO Subareas 3 and 4), over 15,000 commercial fishermen participate in the Atlantic mackerel fishery. This fishery takes place mainly inshore using gillnets, jiggers, handlines, seines and traps. The type of gear used varies by region and time of the year. During the 1980s and 1990s, landings by Canadian fishermen were rather stable and averaged around 22,000 t per year. However, there has been a significant increase since the early 2000s, reaching a record high of 54,621 t in 2005 due to the marked increase in fishing effort by small and large seiners on the east and west coasts of Newfoundland (Divisions 3KL and 4R) and the presence in the population of a very important year-class (1999). The average landings of the 2006-2010 period were 43,464 t. They were followed by a severe drop reaching 11,288 t in 2011 and 6,468 t in 2012. Canadian landings of Atlantic mackerel are underestimated because some logbooks from the bait fishery are not filled and there are direct sales at sea from that fishery. In addition, neither catches in the recreational fishery, which occurs during summer months all along the Atlantic coast, nor the discards of small mackerel are recorded. The abundance of the spawning stock of Atlantic mackerel is calculated using data collected from an egg survey which occurs annually in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The last Atlantic mackerel assessment of NAFO Subareas 3 and 4 was conducted in 2012. The Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Branch has requested a scientific advice on Atlantic mackerel in Canadian waters for the 2014 and 2015 fishing seasons. The objective of the review is to determine whether changes that have occurred in the stock status necessitate adjustments to management plans based on the conservation approach used.

Objectives

Provide a scientific advice on the management of the Atlantic mackerel in NAFO Subareas 3 and 4 (Canada’s east coast) for the 2014 and 2015 fishing seasons. This advice will include:

• An assessment of the status of Atlantic mackerel, based on:
  
  
  • an analysis of the commercial fishery statistics following the 2012 and 2013 seasons (overall distribution of landings, breakdown by province, NAFO Division, fishing gear, etc…);
  • an analysis of the by-catches from the research groundfish surveys conducted on the Scotian Shelf;
  • a discussion on the quality of the fishery statistics and a review of the main sources of uncertainty;
  • an analysis of the biological data collected in the main port of landings by port samplers or at sea by observers (size structure and calculation of biological indicators);
  • ecosystem and environmental considerations;
  • presentation of the results of a separable VPA (in the event that an analytical assessment can be performed) based on the Canadian catch at the age and the index from the egg survey. These results will include fishing mortalities, abundance and spawning biomasses, reference points, trajectory of the stock, and predictions of the 2014 and 2015 catches under different fishing mortalities scenarios.
• Specific elements related to the update of the relevant data to the management of Atlantic mackerel such as:
  
  
  • Identification of indicators and triggers for the years without a formal stock assessment;
  • Identification and prioritization of research projects to be considered for the future;
  • Perspectives and/or recommendations for 2014 and 2015 based on available data.

Expected Publications

• 1 Science Advisory Report
• 1 Proceedings
• Research Documents

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science and Fisheries Management (Ottawa, Gulf, Quebec, Maritimes, and Newfoundland)
• Provinces
• Aboriginal communities
• Fishing industry