Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/021

Assessment of haddock on eastern Georges Bank

By S. Gavaris; L. van Eeckhaute

Abstract

Landings of haddock from eastern Georges Bank, from the early 1980s to 1993, fluctuated around 5,000 tons. Under restrictive management measures, the 1994 and 1995 landings declined to 2561t and 2164t respectively. The 1995 fisheries were largely supported by the 1991 and 1992 year-classes which comprised about 75% of the landed weight. Survey trends indicate a decline of adult abundance since about 1990 to almost the lowest levels observed but an increase has been observed since 1993. Indices for the 1992 year-class suggest that it is the strongest since the 1983, 1985 and 1987 year-classes.

The adaptive framework was used to calibrate the sequential population analysis to the research survey trends. Biomass for ages 3 and older increased to about 23,000t at the beginning of 1996 after declining to below 10,000t, approaching the historic low. The abundance of the1992 year-class was estimated at about 17 million, comparable to the 1983, 1985 and 1987 year-classes. The fishing mortality rate for ages 4 and older decreased to 0.16 in 1995 from about 0.6 in 1992 and 1993, the highest observed since 1971.

A projected yield of about 6,800t in 1996 would correspond to the F_0.1= 0.28 fishing mortality rate and result in a marginal increase of about 1,000t for ages 3 and older biomass. Roughly half the projected yield in 1996 and the biomass in 1997 though, was attributed to the 1992 year-class. A risk analysis showed that a catch of 5,000t in 1996 would ensure that the F_0.1 fishing mortality rate was not exceeded and would enhance the probability that the biomass would increase between 1996 and 1997.

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