Terms of Reference

Fishery and stock status of the sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) from NAFO Division 4T, southern Gulf of St. Lawrence

Regional Peer Review – Gulf Region

October 16-17, 2018
Moncton, NB

Chairperson: Gérald Chaput (DFO Science Gulf Region)

Context

The Sea Scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO Div. 4T) is a relatively small fishery dispersed over a large area. Since 2001, the average annual landing has been less than 100 t (DFO 2011). The scallop grounds in the Gulf Region are divided into four Scallop Fishing Areas (SFA) with one zone (SFA 21) divided into three sub-zones. There are SFA specific management measures but there are no quotas. Scallops are harvested with mobile gear (drag) using small vessels. In the Gulf Region there are over 700 commercial scallop fishing licences, although many are inactive (DFO 2011; Davidson et al. 2012.

The last assessment of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence scallop fishery was completed in 2011 (DFO 2011; Davidson et al. 2012). DFO Ecosystem and Fisheries Management has requested an assessment of the scallop fishery and the scallop stocks in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Objective

To develop fishery and stock status of the sea scallop in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, the following items will be considered.

• Commercial fishery statistics (landings, effort) and indicators of fishery performance (catch per unit effort; meat counts) by scallop fishing areas in the southern Gulf.
• Fishery independent indicators of abundance and status including estimates of standing stock biomass by scallop fishing area, size and age structure, indices of total mortality.
• Propose and review options for reference points for scallop that could be used to assess status and provide management advice.
• As per DFO (2016), identify indicators that would be used to characterize stock status in the intervening years of the assessment and management cycle, the changes in the indicators which would suggest that a full stock assessment may be warranted earlier than the scheduled stock assessment cycle, and propose the frequency and timing of interim-year updates to be provided between full peer-reviewed stock assessments as well as the information to be included within the updates.
• Identification of uncertainties and knowledge gaps.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science, and Ecosystems and Fisheries Management)
• Fishing industry
• Aboriginal organizations
• External experts

References

Davidson, L.-A., Biron, M., and Niles, M. 2012. Scallop Fishery Assessment of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2010: Commercial Fishery Data. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2012/007. vi + 40 p.

DFO. 2011. Assessment of the scallop fishery (Placopecten magellanicus) of the southern gulf of St. Lawrence. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2011/039.

DFO. 2016. Guidelines for providing interim-year updates and science advice for multi-year assessments. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2016/020.