Research Document - 2001/130

Preliminary Results from the September 2001 Groundfish Survey in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence

By Poirier, G.A., Chouinard, G.A., Swain, D.P., Hurlbut, T., LeBlanc, C., Morin, R., and K.F. Drinkwater

Abstract

Since 1971, a standardized research vessel bottom trawl survey has been conducted in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO 4T). The objective of the survey is to obtain abundance indices for the major groundfish resources in the area. This report presents the preliminary results of the 2001 survey conducted from September 4 to 29.

In general, the preliminary information indicates that the abundance of cod, white hake and American plaice in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence continues to be low. Furthermore, an unusually high proportion of cod, white hake and plaice survey biomass continues to be found in the eastern portion of the southern Gulf. Winter flounder, yellowtail flounder and herring abundance appear to be at intermediate levels. Survey abundance of witch was relatively high. Dogfish abundance was very low. Bottom temperature, though somewhat cooler than the warm conditions since 1999, remained warmer than in the cold period that persisted throughout the 1990s.

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