Research Document - 2015/010

2015 Assessment of Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and Striped Shrimp (Pandalus montagui) in the Eastern and Western Assessment Zones (SFAs Nunavut, Nunavik and Davis Strait)

By T.D. Siferd

Abstract

The status of the Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and Striped Shrimp (P. montagui) resources in the Eastern Assessment Zone (EAZ) was assessed based on the results of fishery-independent surveys conducted by the Northern Shrimp Research Foundation (NSRF)-DFO for the years 2006–2014 and commercial catch statistics. Results from individual survey areas within the EAZ are provided. Northern Shrimp were assessed to be well within the Healthy Zone of the Precautionary Approach Framework even though biomass showed a decline over the past three years, albeit year to year differences are statistically insignificant. The potential exploitation rate for 2014/15, based on the TAC of 8,250 t, is about 16.4%. Striped Shrimp biomass has fluctuated widely over the past four surveys making interpretation of the time series problematic. These fluctuations moved Striped Shrimp from low in the Cautious Zone in 2013/14 to well into the Healthy Zone in 2014/15. Therefore, caution is advised when setting the TAC for the 2015/16 fishing season.

Prior to 2014, the status of the Northern Shrimp and Striped Shrimp resources in the Western Assessment Zone (WAZ) was based on surveys conducted by DFO. The area was surveyed with a different ship, trawl gear and at a different time of year than the EAZ. Since no trawl standardization had been conducted, the results from the two zones could not be combined and therefore the resource could not be assessed in its entirety across both zones. This was resolved in 2014 by having the NSRF-DFO survey the WAZ in conjunction with the EAZ survey. This action restarts the times series. The exploitation rate indices are 7% and 8% for Northern Shrimp and Striped Shrimp, respectively, in the WAZ in 2014. These rates are well below that seen in other Canadian Shrimp Fishing Areas and so appear to be conservative. Since the 2014 results are not comparable to previous surveys, it is advised that the TAC remain at status quo until there is an adequate time series with which to develop reference points for the WAZ.

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