Science Response 2016/031

Stock Status Update and Harvest Options for the Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) Fishery in British Columbia, 2016-2019

Context

British Columbia’s Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) stock is assessed every three years. The previous assessment was conducted in 2013 (DFO 2014) and was used to inform the development of the Pacific Region’s Green Sea Urchin fishery 2013-2016 Integrated Fishery Management Plan (IFMP). This assessment will provide updated advice for the development of the new IFMP.

DFO Fisheries Management has requested advice for the Green Sea Urchin fishery in British Columbia (BC), by spring 2016, on the following:

1. The ranges of sustainable harvest quotas for the commercial harvest areas (Pacific Fisheries Management Areas (PFMAs) 12, 13, 18 and 19);
2. The risks or uncertainties associated with the range of harvest options;
3. The recent trends in the local populations’ abundance and population size structure for Green Sea Urchins where data exist;
4. Recommendations for additional research or stock assessment programs.

This paper assesses Green Sea Urchin stocks in regions of BC open to commercial harvest through the analysis of fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data. The quota options presented are derived from a previously published Bayesian assessment model (Perry et al. 2003, Zhang and Perry 2005) which has been used in the assessment of BC’s Green Sea Urchin stock since 2003 (Perry et al. 2003, Perry et al. 2006, Waddell et al. 2010, DFO 2014). This publication updates the results with the most recently available commercial catch and survey information.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process of April 6, 2016 on Stock Status Update and Quota Options for the Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) Fishery in British Columbia, 2016-2019.

Complete document (PDF, 1,650 KB)

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