Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/023
Biological update of Georges Bank cod in unit areas 5Zj,m for 1978-95
By J.J. Hunt; M.-I. Buzeta
Abstract
Total landings of cod in Div. 5Zj,m for 1995 are estimated to be 2,100 t, the lowest in the time series. The Canadian fishery was restricted to a bycatch only. The 1992 year class accounted for about 45% of the catch in numbers. Canadian and U.S.A. survey indices have declined since 1990 but showed an increase in the last year. An ADAPT formulation using the three survey indices was used to estimate stock abundance. Biomass and numbers of fish remain near the lowest observed in the time series but increased slightly in 1995 and 1996. Exploitation rates were between 30 % and 40 %, peaked near 50 % in 1991 and have since declined to about 12% in 1995. Recruitment since the 1990 year class was well below average but the 1995 year class shows some improvement. Catch projection for 1996 at F0.1 reference level indicates a yield of about 3,500 t with a slight increase in stock biomass for 1997. Exploitation at a level lower that F0.1 is required in order to continue stock rebuilding. Risk analysis indicates an 80 % probability that biomass would increase in 1997 at yield of 3,000 t in 1996.
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