Research Document 1997/115
Update on the status of Redfish in Division 3O
By D. Power and D. Orr
Abstract
Nominal catches have ranged between 3,000 t and 35,000 t since 1960. Up to 1986 catches averaged 13,000 t, increased to 35,000 t by 1988 and declined subsequently to 3,000 t in 1995 due to reductions in foreign allocations. Foreign fleets, which predominantly fish outside the 200 mile EEZ, have historically accounted for most of catch but Canada has increased its activity in the area since 1995 accounting for about 80% of the 9,000 t catch in 1996. Standardized commercial catch rate indices are not considered reflective of stock abundance inside the EEZ. For fleets fishing outside the EEZ where most of the effort was located, they show a declining trend since the early to mid 1980s. RV surveys show different trends seasonally and do not adequately measure size groups that comprise the main portion of the stock exploited by the fishery which makes it is difficult to interpret recent declines in survey estimates in relation to what is happening to the stock as a whole. There is concern that there has been little sign in recent surveys of size groups smaller than 17 cm despite using a shrimp trawl which is very effective at catching small fish.
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