Terms of Reference

Stock assessment for Pacific Ocean Perch (Sebastes alutus) in Queen Charlotte Sound, British Columbia in 2017

Regional Peer Review Process – Pacific Region

June 1-2, 2017
Nanaimo, British Columbia

Chairperson: Lesley MacDougall

Context

Pacific Ocean Perch (POP, Sebastes alutus) is a commercially important species of rockfish that inhabits the marine canyons along the coast of British Columbia. Of the current annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of rockfish on the west coast of Canada, POP has the second largest single-species quota after Yellowtail Rockfish (S. flavidus). The status of Pacific Ocean Perch in Queen Charlotte Sound (QCS), British Columbia will be assessed under the assumption that it is a single stock harvested in Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission (PMFC) major areas 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5E south of 52°20’, collectively referred to as 5ABC.

The last assessment of this POP stock occurred in 2010, at which time trends in survey abundance indices, plus reports from industry, indicated that the stock was showing signs of decline. The assessment presented various model runs and two were accepted for advice to managers. Both model runs depicted a slow-growing, low productivity stock that was heavily exploited by foreign commercial fleets for a decade starting in the mid-1960s. This early fishery was sustained from a strong recruitment event that occurred in the early 1950s. The depletion of the QCS stock halted briefly after the 1977 introduction of the 200 nautical mile limit, before resuming with the development of a domestic bottom trawl fleet. The domestic fishery was sustained from a few strong year classes starting in the late 1970s and early 1980s. However, spawning (mature female) biomass in 2011 was estimated to be at historic low levels (in the range of 12-43% [median 26%] or 8-24% [median 14%] of the equilibrium unexploited biomass across the two accepted model runs). Exploitation rates were estimated to be approaching historic high levels.

As a result of the 2010 POP assessment (DFO 2011, Edwards et al. 2012), the TAC for QCS was cut by 258 t/y over three years, starting in 2011. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fisheries and Aquaculture Management has requested updated advice from DFO Science on the current biomass and status of POP in QCS relative to reference points consistent with DFO’s Fishery Decision-Making Framework Incorporating the Precautionary Approach (the PA framework) (DFO 2009), and implications of varying harvest rates on expected stock status.

The assessment, and advice arising from this Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Regional Peer Review (RPR), will be used to inform fisheries management decisions.

Objectives

The following working paper will be reviewed and provide the basis for discussion and advice on the specific objectives outlined below.

• Haigh, R., Starr, P.J., Edwards, A.M, King, J.R., and Lecomte, J-B.  Stock assessment for Pacific Ocean Perch (Sebastes alutus) in Queen Charlotte Sound, British Columbia in 2016. CSAP Working Paper 2014GRF005.

Guided by the DFO Sustainable Fisheries Framework, the following objectives for this assessment have been established:

1. Assess the current biomass and status of Pacific Ocean Perch (Sebastes alutus) in Queen Charlotte Sound (area 5ABC defined above).
2. Apply the PA-compliant MSY-based reference points defined in the 2010 assessment of 5ABC POP (Limit Reference Point 0.4BMSY, Upper Stock Reference Point 0.8BMSY, removal rate UMSY,).
3. Provide decision tables projecting the predicted status of Pacific Ocean Perch relative to reference points across a range of management actions.
4. If possible, propose an appropriate time interval between assessments and a trigger point that may affect the assessment schedule; or, provide rationale why this is not possible.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research Document

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Pacific Region – Offshore/Inshore Sections of Science, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
• Industry – Canadian Groundfish Research and Conservation Society (CGRCS), Commercial Industry Caucus (CIC), etc.
• Aboriginal communities/organizations (e.g., Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance)
• Non-governmental agencies (e.g., David Suzuki Foundation)
• Peer review experts from government and/or academia.

References

DFO 2009. A Fishery Decision-Making Framework Incorporating the Precautionary Approach. (Accessed April 4, 2017)

DFO. 2011. Stock assessment for Pacific ocean perch (Sebastes alutus) in Queen Charlotte Sound, British Columbia in 2010. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2011/017.

Edwards, A.M., Starr, P.J., and Haigh, R. 2012. Stock assessment for Pacific ocean perch (Sebastes alutus) in Queen Charlotte Sound, British Columbia. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2011/111. viii + 172 p.