Research Document - 2000/124

Update on the status of scallops in Scallop Production Area 4 in the Bay of Fundy for 2000.

By S.J. Smith and M.J. Lundy

Abstract

This document presents an update on the stock status of scallops in scallop production areas (SPA) 4 on the eastern side of the Bay of Fundy, taking into account the 1999 fishery and the 2000 research survey. Landings in 1999 were 79 t against a TAC of 120 t. The fishing industry had reported that fishing in 1999 was restricted by poor weather and the fishery was extended by one month into January 2000. However, there were few days in January when the weather was good enough for fishing. The 2000 research survey indicated that the abundance of commercial size scallops (shell height 95 mm) has declined from 1999. There were signs in the 2000 survey of better than average recruitment of the 1997 year-class (shell height of 70 to 94 mm) in water less than 90 m depth, for the 2001 fishery. There were also large numbers of 1998 year-class (shell height of 25--50 mm) observed in the survey in both SPA 4 and adjacent SPA 1. While this year-class would not recruit to the fishery until 2002/2003, the location of the year-class could expose it to increased incidental mortality due to fishing activity. Fishing mortality of commercial size scallops in 1999 had decreased from 1998 to about the 1991--99 average. The modified DeLury population model used for the first time in the assessment of the 1998 fishery was used here with new definitions of fully-recruited scallops and recruits. Estimates from this model indicate that a TAC of 120 t in 2000 would result in a fishing mortality of 0.19 on the population of commercial size scallops. A continuation of effort at the recent level of 9000 hours per year would result in an expected removal of not more than 90 t (F=0.14). Continuation of a full-fledged fishery in SPA 4 in the near-term runs the risk of increasing incidental mortality on the 1998 year-class, thus reducing its potential contribution to the future fishery in this area.

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