Research Document - 2006/033

Scallop fishing area 29: Stock status and update for 2006

By Smith, S.J., M.J. Lundy, S. Rowe, D. Pezzack and C. Frail

Abstract

For the fifth consecutive year, a fishery was conducted in the portion of Scallop Fishing Area 29 west of longitude 65˚30˚W. A total of 253 t (189 t Full Bay fleet; 64 t East of Baccaro fleet) was landed against a TAC of 255 t. Average meat weights from the fishery ranged from 14.9 g to 27.7 g and were not appreciably different from those observed in 2004. Average catch rate for the Full Bay Fleet was 41.8 kg/h over the whole area in 2005 compared to 54.4 kg/h in 2004. The average catch rate for the East of Baccaro Fleet was 27.1 kg/h over the whole area in 2005 compared to 32.0 kg/h in 2004. The annual survey indicates that biomass levels of commercial size scallop have remained fairly constant in subareas A and C with little recruitment to commercial size expected for the next three years. Biomass has increased in subareas B and D in 2005 with recruitment to the commercial size class expected in Subarea D for 2006. While a catch of 80 t in 2004 and 4 t in 2005 did not seem to result in a large decline in survey biomass, continued fishing in Subarea A in 2006 will probably be limited to scallops ages 6 and older due to limited recruitment. Evaluations of the impact of fishing were conducted using a population model for subareas B, C, and D. For example, catches of 75 to 100 t, 25 to 50 t, and 50 to 75 t would result in less than a 50% chance of a decrease in the 2006 biomass relative to 2005 for subareas B, C, and D, respectively. Alternatively, setting catch levels such that the mean expected decrease was equal to zero would result in 150-200 t for Subarea B, 75-100 t for Subarea C, and 125-150 t for Subarea D.There was not enough survey information to recommend catch levels for Subarea E. This subarea appears to offer marginal habitat for scallop. Bycatch of lobster in SFA 29 was low in 2005.

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