Research Document - 2000/086

État des stocks de pétoncles des eaux côtières du Québec.

By M. Giguère, S. Brulotte, and P. Goudreau

Abstract

This area is subdivided into 16 management units comprising the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, the Gaspé and the North Shore. In 1999, there were 82 regular licences in operation. In Québec, commercial harvesting is directed at both the Iceland scallop (Chlamys islandica) and the sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus). Landings normally consist of the meat (adductor muscle) or whole scallops. In 1999, preliminary landings in Québec amounted to nearly 331 t of meat (2 747 t live weight), with the North Shore contributing 65%, the Gaspé 26% and the Îles-de-la-Madeleine 9% of this figure. The Îles-de-la-Madeleine landings stood at about 31 t in 1999, down 27% from 1998. Two new fairly abundant cohorts of pre-recruits were present in 1999; they will be recruited to the fishery in 2000 and 2001. Commercial yields hit an all-time low in 1998 and 1999. The catches in the Gaspé are made primarily in Chaleur Bay (19A) and around Anticosti Island (18B and 18C). In area 19A, where landings have been on the rise since 1994, a total of nearly 36 t of meat was landed in 1999. Catches per unit effort of sea scallops have been small but stable since 1995. In 1998 and 1999, fishers directed their fishing effort at Iceland scallops because of the low abundance of sea scallops on fishing grounds. Harvesting activities in 1999 included a new scallop bed (Red Island) located at the western limit of area 17A. The yields recorded there are the highest for all of Quebec. The exploitation rate has been estimated at 15%. Areas 18B and 18C are still under development. In 1999, the North Shore catch totalled some 214 t of meat. Landings in area 16A have increased owing to exploitation of the new Red Island scallop bed. The status of the scallop resource in areas 16B and 16C appears to be stable. The landings in areas 16D, 16E, 16F, 16G and 18A stood at about 142 t in 1999. Harvesting in areas 16D and 16G is still being developed. In area 16E, the 1999 catch totalled 57.2 t of muscle and the catches per unit effort held steady. In area 16F, the landings were stable but fishing effort increased by 22% in 1999 over the 1998 level. Between 1994 and 1997, the yields were stable but in 1998 they showed a marked decline. In area 18A, landings and catches per unit effort have been on the rise since 1997. The exploitation rate was estimated at 4% in 1999. There have been few landings in area 16H since 1996. In area 15, landings have dropped by 53% from 1998, mainly as a result of a decrease in effort.

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