Research Document - 2003/085
Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus L.) fishery and biology in NAFO Subareas 3 and 4 in 2002
By Grégoire, F., Lévesque, C., Guérin, J.,
Hudon, J. and Lavers, J.
Abstract
In 2002, landings of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus L.) in the northwest Atlantic totalled 50,877 t, up to 13,136 t from 2001. In eastern Canada, 23,433 t were landed including 16,493 t in Newfoundland only. The most important catches of this province were landed in unit areas 3Kd, 3Kh, 4Rc and 4Rd. The other important unit areas were 4Tf and 4Tl, located respectively in the Magdalen Islands and on the east coast of New Brunswick, and area 4Xm, close to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The catch at age associated to the 2002 Canadian landings was characterized by a very large number of fish 3 years old, from the 1999 year-class. At ages 1, 2 and 3 respectively, the fish in this year-class accounted for 63 %, 68 % and 77 % of the total catch (in numbers) made in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Such values have never been observed in the year-classes that have dominated the fishery since the late 1960s.
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