Research Document 1997/69

Assessment of NAFO Division 4T winter flounder in 1996

By R. Morin, I. Forest-Gallant

Abstract

Provisional landings of winter flounder in NAFO Division 4T in 1996 increased marginally to 745 t from 662 t reported in 1995. Landings have declined yearly from 2535 t in 1991 and the 1996 landings were considerably lower than the longterm average of 1899 t for the period of 1960-1996. Winter flounder have been used widely in 4T for lobster bait. As a result, misreporting and unreported catches have contributed to large year-to-year fluctuations in winter flounder landings. Otter trawls were the dominant gear in 1996, landing 475 t; however, gillnets have contributed 34-39% of yearly landings since 1993, mainly due to management regulations that have restricted the fishing season for mobile gear. The number of days that otter trawls fished for winter flounder, a measure of nominal fishing effort, declined from approximately 2000 days of directed effort in 1991 to 504 days in 1995 and 671 days in 1996. Research survey data for 4T indicate that the resource is at an intermediate level of abundance relative to abundance indices since 1971. The abundance of winter flounder varies regionally within 4T, suggesting the existence of numerous stock units in this management unit.

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