Science Advisory Report 2022/023

Assessment of the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (Divisions 4RST) Capelin Stock in 2021

Summary

• Since 2000, total landings of capelin in the Estuary and GSL (NAFO divisions 4R, 4S and 4T) were on average 8,068 t. In 2020 and 2021, the annual total allowable catch was 9,295 t and preliminary landings were 10,281 and 9,934 t respectively, principally from the 4R seine fishery.
• The seiner performance index in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Divisions (NAFO) 4R increased from 2004 to 2010, and subsequently varied above the 1986-2021 time series average.
• The condition factor of males and females fished in NAFO divisions 4R and 4S in 2021 was above the 1984-2021 time series average.
• The relative abundance index from the northern GSL bottom trawl survey has generally been below the long-term average (1990-2021) since 2012. In contrast, the relative abundance index in the southern GSL bottom trawl survey has been above the long-term average since 2010. Fish in the southern GSL are smaller (likely immature) compared to those in the northern GSL.
• Approximations of the fishing mortality rates from 1997 to 2021 were likely much smaller than natural mortality rates typical of short-lived forage species such as capelin.
• A new composite index, including 5 independent indices (northern GSL and southern GSL relative abundance indices, percentage in weight of capelin in diets of two key predators, and timing of last ice), of capelin 4RST stock status varied around the 1990-2021 long-term average since 2016.
• Available evidence (low approximations of fishing mortality and the composite index around the long-term average) indicate that any of the harvest levels attained over the last decade are unlikely to pose a risk to the 4RST capelin stock in 2022.

This Science Advisory Report is from the Regional Peer Review of April 20-21, 2022 on the Assessment of the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (Divisions 4RST) capelin stock. Additional publications from this meeting will be posted on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science Advisory Schedule as they become available.

Science Advisory Report 2022/023 (PDF, 2152 KB)

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