Terms of Reference

Stock Status Update of 4X5Y Cod

Regional Science Response Process – Maritimes Region

December 2, 2016
Dartmouth, NS

Chairperson: Lottie Bennett

Context

Atlantic Cod (Gadus Morhua) in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Divisions (NAFO) 4X5Y have supported a commercial fishery since the 1700s, although its abundance has declined in number and biomass since 1980. In a 2003 assessment of the species, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) designated the Maritimes a Designatable Unit (DU) Special Concern (COSEWIC 2003). In 2010, COSEWIC re-assessed the species, splitting the Maritimes DU into two DUs: 1) Laurentian South DU; and 2) Southern DU. The Southern DU was subsequently designated as Endangered due to a significant decline in abundance and evidence of an unexplained increase in natural mortality in NAFO Division 4X (COSEWIC 2010). In 2011, a Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) was carried out by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science to provide the information and scientific advice required to meet various requirements pursuant to the Species at Risk Act. The 2011 RPA formed the basis of the most recent stock assessment for 4X5Y cod, which is assessed on a five-year cycle (DFO 2011). The last stock status update of 4X5Y cod was completed in 2014 (DFO 2015). A stock status update was not completed in 2015, although the species was reported upon in an update on the Maritimes Research Vessel (RV) survey trends on the Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy (DFO 2016).

Objectives

The objective of this regional science response process is to provide advice on the stock status 4X5Y cod by providing updated information and identifying trends for the following:

• fishery landings from previous years;
• RV catch distribution, length composition and survey biomass;
• age-structured indices of abundance; and
• total mortality (Z) and relative fishing mortality (F).

Expected Publication

• Science Response

Participation

• DFO Science, Maritimes
• DFO Resource Management, Maritimes

References

COSEWIC. 2003. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.  Ottawa. xi + 76 pp.

COSEWIC. 2010. COSEWIC Assessment and Update Status Report on the Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua in Canada. Committee on the Status of Engangered Wildlife in Canada.  Ottawa. xi + 105 pp.

DFO. 2011. Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) for the Southern Designatable Unit (NAFO Divs. 4X5Yb and 5Zjm) of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua). DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2011/034.

DFO. 2015. 2014 4X5Yb Atlantic Cod Stock Status Update. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2015/010.

DFO. 2016. 2015 Maritimes Research Vessel Survey Trends on the Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2016/011.