Research Document - 2001/024
The Status of White Hake (Urophycis tenuis, Mitchill) in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO Division 4T) in 2000.
By Hurlbut, T., Poirier, G.
Abstract
The latest survey results indicate that the abundance of white hake in NAFO Div. 4T has increased because of increasing recruitment. However, the low abundance of commercial-size fish, below average estimate of population biomass, and the evidence which suggests that the distribution of white hake has become more concentrated during the 1990's is a concern. The research survey results are consistent with an analysis of the catch rates by longliners participating in the Sentinel Survey Project, which revealed a significant decline in 2000 to the lowest level in the series. Furthermore, the survey and SPA results indicate that the abundance of the 'Strait' component, which has yielded the majority (90%) of the landings of white hake in NAFO Div. 4T, declined to its lowest level in 2000. This resource appears to be in the early stages of a potential recovery but the short-term prospects are not encouraging because it will take a few years for the promising signs of recruitment to contribute significantly to the fishable population. Although the reported landings during the moratorium have been low, estimates of total mortality for 1999 and 2000 were high suggesting that removals from all sources may still be excessive.
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