Research Document - 2002/104
Evaluation of Cusk (Brosme brosme) in Canadian Waters
By Lei E. Harris, Peter A. Comeau and Donald S. Clark
Abstract
There is little known of cusk life history or genetics making it impossible to identify separate evolutionarily significant units of the population in the Northwest Atlantic. Cusk are distributed from Cape Cod to Labrador but are concentrated mostly in the Gulf of Maine and the Western Scotian Shelf. Catches in the summer RV survey in 4VWX decreased after the 1970's and remained stable after a dramatic decline in 1992. Total numbers caught in 8 of the last 10 years in the entire survey area were below 20 individuals, compared to an average of about 67 from 1970-1990. There has also been a decline in CPUE in the longline fishery since the early 1990's, but this is of a lesser magnitude. The distribution of cusk caught in the summer RV survey has decreased in area and is concentrated in the Gulf of Maine. However the halibut survey and commercial landings data reveal that cusk are still present throughout most of the area along the shelf edge and on the western portion of the Scotian Shelf where commercial longlining occurs.
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