Research Document - 2000/015
Assessment of the 1999 snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) fisheries off western Cape Breton (Areas 18 and 19)
By DeGrâce, P., Hébert, M., Wade, E., Hébert, A., Girard, D., Surette, T., Biron, M., Moriyasu, M.
Abstract
The 1999 stock assessment of the western Cape Breton snow crab fisheries, Areas 18 and 19, was done based on the information collected from fishermen's logbooks and processor's sales slips, at-sea and port sampling, and post-season trawl surveys.
The 1999 quota (408 t) in Area 18 was caught for the first time since 1996. The mean CPUE increased from 18.0 kg/trap haul in 1998 to 34.5 kg/trap haul in 1999. The catch was mainly composed of new hard-shelled crab. A trawl survey was conducted in 1999 after 2-year cessation. The biomass of adult legal-sized males for 2000 was projected at 593 t; but should be interpreted with caution. A seasonal movement of crab in and out of the area may be possible. A large concentration of adolescent crabs found inside the area will not necessarily contribute to the commercial biomass in this area in the future. For the year 2000, it is recommended that the fishery close as soon as the catches of soft-shelled crab exceed 20 % in order to protect the future recruitment to the fishery.
In Area 19, total landings of 1,979 t were recorded in 1999. The mean CPUE increased from 63.7 kg/trap haul in 1998 to 103.7 kg/trap haul in 1999. The calculated effort decreased from 31,232 trap hauls in 1998 to 19,088 trap hauls in 1999. According to the trawl survey data, the projected biomass of adult legal-sized males for 2000 (5,351 t) represents a large increase from 1999 (3,152 t). There was no reason to change the exploitation rate for the year 2000 because the fishery is in a phase of good recruitment. In addition, the high density of pre-recruits found in Area 12 adjacent to Area 19 could positively affect the level of exploitable biomass in Area 19 for the coming years if a movement of newly-molted adult males toward the area occurs.
Accessibility Notice
This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.
- Date modified: