Science Response 2021/002

Status update of Pacific Cod (Gadus macrocephalus) for West Coast Vancouver Island (area 3CD), and Hecate strait and Queen Charlotte sound (area 5ABCD) in 2020

Context

The last assessment for Pacific Cod (Gadus macrocephalus) in British Columbia (BC) was completed in 2018 (DFO 2019a; Forrest et al. 2020). Separate assessments were undertaken for stocks in Area 3CD (West Coast Vancouver Island, WCVI) and Area 5ABCD (consisting of Queen Charlotte Sound (QCS) and Hecate Strait (HS) combined) (Figure 1). Both the 3CD and 5ABCD stocks were assessed to be in the Cautious Zone (DFO 2009).

Fishery-independent synoptic bottom trawl surveys are conducted biennially in BC, usually occurring in even-numbered years for WCVI, and odd-numbered years in QCS and HS. However, due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the scheduled 2020 WCVI survey did not occur. The 2018 survey index for WCVI was very low, at approximately 26–27% of the magnitude of the 2014 and 2016 observations (Figure 2). The commercial catch per unit effort (CPUE) index has also decreased since 2016 (Figure 2). Catches in 2018 and 2019 in Area 3CD were also much lower than previous years (Table 1, Figure 3).

The previous advice (DFO 2019a) recommended assessment updates in each area be provided in years immediately following the biennial groundfish synoptic bottom trawl survey (i.e., when the most recent survey index point is available). However, given the low 2018 index of abundance in Area 3CD, coupled with the lack of updated survey information in 2020, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Pacific Fisheries Management Branch has requested that DFO Pacific Science Branch assess the status of both BC Pacific Cod stocks in 2020 and recommend harvest advice for 2021 to inform the development of the 2020/2021 Integrated Fisheries Management Plan.

This Science Response reports results from the Science Response Process of October 2020 on the Stock Assessment Update of British Columbia Pacific Cod for Areas 3CD, and 5ABCD in 2020.

Science Response 2021/002 (PDF, 2,110 KB)

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