Research Document - 1999/061

Scallop production Area 3: Stock status update for 1998.

By M.J Lundy and S.J. Smith

Abstract

This document reviews the data from the 1998 fishery and 1998 survey for Scallop Production Area (SPA) 3 (Brier Island/Lurcher Shoal). Landings in SPA 3 increased each year from 1990 to 1994 and have steadily declined since. The 1998 landings were 162 t for a TAC of 150 t. Unlike the previous year, fishing effort in 1998 was mainly located in the northeast corner of the Brier Island subarea along the boundary with SPA 7 (St. Mary's Bay). Consequently, the largest portion of the catch came from this same area, however the associated catch rates tended to be in the lower end of the range observed. Given that this area is shallow and scallops caught here exhibit high meat yield, it appears that the fleet was targetting larger scallops for the higher prices being paid for them despite the lower catch rate. There was minimal port sampling data in 1998 due to lack of voluntary participation by the fleet. The survey indicated an increase in abundance

of scallop >80 mm in the Brier Island area but little change in the Lurcher area. There were some signs of recruitment in both areas, mainly along the western edge where meat yields tend to be low. A re-analysis of spatial patterns in shell height and age data suggests that the previous age composition estimates may not be appropriate. Without age composition, exploitation rates could not be calculated. The 1999 TAC has already been set at 200 t for SPA 3 and 7, which have been combined in 1999 for fisheries management purposes. Based on population size structure for meat weights estimated from the survey, there is no reason to change the TAC for 1999.

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