Research Document - 2000/082
Assessment of haddock on Eastern Georges Bank.
By S. Gavaris and L. Van Eeckhaute
Abstract
Haddock catches from eastern Georges Bank fluctuated around 5,000 t from 1985 to 1990. Under restrictive management measures, catches declined from over 6,400 t in 1991 to a low of about 2,100 t in 1995 and have since fluctuated between about 3,000 t and 4,000 t.
Total population biomass has steadily increased from near historic low levels of about 13,000 t in 1993 to about 50,000 t at the beginning of 2000 but remains below the average biomass during 1930-55 when productivity was higher. The recent increase is due principally to improved recruitment in the 1990's which produced the three strongest year-classes since 1978. The exploitation rate for fully recruited ages 4-8 has consistently been below the F0.1 target of 20% since 1995. Reduced fishing mortality and avoidance of small fish in the fisheries in recent years has resulted in increased survival of incoming year-classes and greater abundance at older ages.
Projected total Canada/USA yield at F0.1 = 0.25 in 2000 would be about 8,800 t and results in a probability of less than 30% for not achieving 20% biomass increase between 2000 and 2001. If fished at that rate in 2000, the adult biomass is projected to increase from 36,000 t to 46,000 t by the beginning of 2001. The population age structure shows good representation at all ages and a broad age range is expected to contribute to the 2000 catch.
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