Research Document - 2014/091

The Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus L.) stocks of the west coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R) in 2013

By Benoît Légaré, Jean-Louis Beaulieu, Linda Girard and François Grégoire

Abstract

In 2013, herring catches on the west coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R) totalled 19,364 t for a TAC of 20,000 t. Catches from the spring bait fishery are not included in this total. Catches by large (>65') and small (<65') seiners totalled 9,996 t and 4,888 t, respectively, compared to annual averages (1975-2011) of 10,600 t and 3,685 t. For spring spawners, age at 50% maturity rebounded in 2010-2013 after a trough in the 2000s. For fall spawners, the highest values were observed in 2010-2013. For these two stocks, a decrease in the length at 50% maturity was observed in 2010-2013. The condition factor showed a significant decrease for these stocks in 2011 and 2012 followed by an increase in 2013. Although the possible causes of this change were not analyzed, such decreases have been observed in the past. According to the acoustic survey, the total biomass index for fall spawners would have passed from 110,428 t in 2011 to 106,521 t in 2013. The spring spawners index would have severely decreased to pass between 2011 and 2013 from 14,624 t to 335 t. In 2002, spring herring accounted for 32% of the combined biomass of the two spawning stocks compared to 8%, 12% and 0.3% in 2009, 2011 and 2013. During the last years, catches of about 20,000 t were supported in majority by the fall spawners and, in particular, by the dominant 2000 year-class. With the ageing and decline of this year-class and in the absence of a strong recruitment, it is unlikely that this catch level can be sustained during the next years. It is recommended not to increase the current level of the catches (20,000 t) in 2014 and 2015.

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