Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/071

Status of witch flounder in NAFO Division 4RST, 1995

By R. Morin; G.A. Chouinard; I. Forest-Gallant; G.A. Poirier

Abstract

The provisional landings of witch flounder totalled 320 t in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO divisions 4RST) in 1995, their lowest level over the time series of landings statistics since 1960. Annual landings of witch since 1960 have averaged 2742 t in 4RST. Although most landings were made in 4T (263 t), declines were registered in all areas of the Gulf. Seines contributed most of the landings. The number of days seiners spent directing for witch flounder has declined in 4RST over the past five years, totaling 213 days in 1995. Directed effort by trawlers declined to only 5 days of fishing in 1993 and increased to 23 days in 1995. Research surveys conducted in the northern and southern Gulf indicated that witch abundance declined during the late 1980s. Northern Gulf surveys indicated that abundance peaked in 1985 or 1986 and that the stock is currently at its lowest level since the northern Gulf surveys began in the late 1970s. In the southern Gulf, witch abundance was low during the early 1980s, rose to a peak in 1988, then declined yearly until 1992. Abundance estimates in the 4T survey since 1993 are in the upper range of values observed since the survey began in 1971. Research survey data suggest that the witch resource was more abundant and more widely distributed in the northern Gulf. Survey indices from the northern Gulf survey may therefore be more representative of the status of the 4RST witch resource.

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