Science Response 2018/010

Sea Cucumber stock status update in NAFO Subdivision 3Ps

Context

The status of Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Subdivision 3Ps Sea Cucumber was last assessed in February 2017. The assessment concluded that given the uncertainties with this species on the St. Pierre Bank, there is no scientific basis for assessing the risk of any increase in harvest level and that sustainable exploitation rates are unknown. It was also noted that the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) September 2016 3Ps Sea Cucumber survey was incomplete; the entire southeast area was surveyed, but only 23% of the northwest area was surveyed, therefore the Sea Cucumber biomass index for the northwest area was considered inconclusive. In September 2017, the remainder of the northwest area was surveyed. The current stock assessment update was requested by Fisheries Management to provide the Minister with advice in order to inform decisions regarding any changes to the current Management Plan for conservation purposes.

The intent of this document is to update the stock assessment provided in February 2017 by providing analyses of data from the September 2017 DFO Sea Cucumber survey which completed sampling of the northwest area. Up-to-date commercial catch data for both areas are also included.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process on January 18, 2018 of Subdivision 3Ps Sea Cucumber Status Update.

Complete document (PDF, 783 KB)

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