Science Advisory Report  2014/022

Wolffish in the Atlantic and Arctic regions

Summary

• Abundance indices for all three wolffish species throughout Canadian Atlantic and Arctic waters have been stable or at higher values since the mid-2000s compared to the 1990s. However, there are areas where catches are sporadic because the species are scarce and represent a minor portion of the overall population.
• Although some increases in abundance have occurred in some areas, levels for Northern and Spotted Wolffish in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Div. 2J3K, where the majority of both populations resided, remain low relative to historic values.
• Due to an overall reduction in fishing effort since the 1990s, and mandatory release of both Northern Wolffish and Spotted Wolffish since 2003, mortality due to fishing of these two species has been reduced in Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• Proposed interim recovery targets consistent with Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Precautionary Approach Framework were proposed but rejected based on concerns related to survey gear conversion factors. Further research should be conducted to determine a method of combining survey time series.
• The current levels of Canadian fisheries observer coverage in three major trawl fisheries in Newfoundland and Labrador (Greenland Halibut; Yellowtail Flounder; offshore Northern Shrimp) are adequate and effective in the determination of harm on wolffish, where they are a common bycatch species. Observer coverage could not be evaluated in other fisheries due to the lack of appropriate data.
• The maximum allowable harm that these species can sustain (while not jeopardizing their survival or recovery) could not be adequately quantified due to limitations in population modeling and uncertainty of their population dynamics. However, given levels of harm that occurred over the past decade, the decline in wolffish abundance has not continued, and has reversed in many areas, which suggests that the current harm is sustainable assuming that future stock productivity is similar to that observed in recent time periods.

This Science Advisory Report is from the February 26-27, 2014 Zonal Assessment of Northern, Spotted and Atlantic Wolffish to update and support specific processes with regards to recovery targets, allowable harm and other related aspects of SARA. Additional publications from this process will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

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