Research Document - 1999/149

Reconciliation of processed catch statistics with log data for 1992-97 flatfish in 4VWX/5Y.

By G.M. Fowler and W.T. Stobo

Abstract

During recent years (1992-97), 30-60% of Scotia-Fundy area landings are represented in the Commercial Landings database as unspecified flounder. This creates difficulties when attempting to assess stock status of individual species (American plaice, winter flounder, witch flounder, yellowtail flounder) where the unspecified portion of the landings acts as an ambiguous catch-all for much of the catch. An investigation of Fishing Log data demonstrated that major quantities of the catch of unspecified flounder in the Commercial Landings database were attributable to default coding of species during processing, in that identified species in the Fishing Log database were portrayed as unspecified flounder in the Commercial Landings database. A new database was derived from these two sources to compare depictions of flatfish landings, and make adjustments to the Commercial Landings based on Fishing Log data. These adjusted landings reduced the unspecified flounder to 10-40% of the flatfish catch (less than 15% since 1994). Several differences in apparent fishery trends (annual landings, catch distributions, catch rates) between the Commercial and adjusted landings were examined. The representations of catch by species between data sources were not proportional, with the Commercial and adjusted landings giving very different pictures of several fisheries.

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