Research Document - 2003/112
Preliminary Results from the September 2003 Bottom-trawl Survey of the Southern
Gulf of St. Lawrence
By Poirier, G.A., Hurlbut, T., Swain, D.P.,
Chouinard, G.A., Benoît, H. P., LeBlanc, C.
and Currie, L.
Abstract
Each September since 1971, a standardized research vessel bottom-trawl survey has been conducted in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO Division 4T). The primary objective of the survey is to obtain abundance indices for the major groundfish resources in the area. The CCGS Alfred Needler, used since 1992 for this survey, was not available in September 2003. Instead, the survey was conducted aboard the CCGS Wilfred Templeman from September 15 to October 1. Because the relative fishing efficiencies of the two vessels are currently not known, we are unable to interpret the results of the survey in terms of historical abundance trends. This report describes the 2003 survey and presents geographic distribution charts and length frequencies for the major commercial marine fish species.
Bottom water temperatures cooled considerably in 2003 relative to the previous four years. The area of the bottom covered by cold temperatures (< 0°C or < 1°C) increased sharply in 2003 to levels comparable to those of the cold period in the early to mid 1990s.
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