Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/076
The burgeoning fishery for Iceland scallops on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland
By K.S. Naidu; F.M. Cahill; E.M. Steward; P.J. Veitch
Abstract
The directed fishery for Iceland scallops on the Grand Bank of Newfoundland is relatively recent (1993) and driven largely by the lack of opportunities in the groundfish sector. The high economic return form the scallop fishery has quickly resulted in a disproportionately large shift in fishing effort into this sector. In just three years total catch from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland has surpassed 11,000 t round. Over half (55.5%) of this was taken in 1995. The majority (93%) of removals during the period was from NAFO Div. 3N, particularly from the highly productive grounds near the Lilly Canyon and Carson Canyon. Scallops here tend to be larger than elsewhere on the bank and consequently attracts most of the effort. Overall mean daily catch/tow had declined in 1994; a similar decline is not evident in 1995. The proportions in the catch of small meats to large ones from the Canyons continue to increase. Much of the remaining removals came from aggregations trending northeast just outside of the box but within Div. 3N.
Only sporadic effort was directed outside (77 days) of these two areas resulting in a further removal of 170 t (or 3% of 1995 total).
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