Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/035

Assessment of the 1995 snow crab fishery off eastern Nova Scotia

By M.J. Tremblay; M.D. Eagles

Abstract

Total 1995 landings for Areas 20-24 (1554 mt) did not change from 1994. Areas 20-23 were stabile or marginally higher; only Area 24 landings were lower. Although 1 -yr. temporary licenses (9 in Area 23 and 10 in Area 24) were introduced, and crab price was high, total effort appears unchanged from 1994. There is uncertainty in the total effort estimate because it is dependent upon effort information provided by fishers, and fewer data were available in 1995 than in previous years. Catch rate in 1994 and 1995 have also been influenced by factors such as individual boat quotas, whether or not soft-shelled crab were retained, and a reduced fishing season in Area 21.

There was a substantial reduction in the landing of soft-shelled crab in 1995. In 1994 the percentage of soft-shelled crab in the landed catch ranged from 6-26%; in 1995 the range was 0-8%. The high levels of soft-shelled crab in the traps (40-65%) continues to be a problem and some handling mortality probably results.

How long the current level of landings will continue in Areas 20-24 is unclear. Areas 20-24 are currently fished at high effort levels relative to the 1978-93 period. Although the high percentage of soft-shelled crab in the traps is indicative of high removal rates by the fishery, it is also indicative of continuing recruitment. Pre-recruit crab were also more abundant in traps in 1995 than in 1994.

The prospects for snow crab fisheries outside of the current commercial grounds was examined. The occurrence of snow crab in groundfish surveys indicates the snow crab fishery is exploiting most of the areas where snow crab are abundant on the eastern Scotian Shelf. An exploratory fishery for snow crab in NAFO Division 4X had low mean catch rates (1.5kg/trap) relative to Areas 20-24. The snow crab aggregations in 4X are likely ephemeral but may support a small number of licenses with high trap limits during periods of good recruitment and high price.

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