Terms of Reference

Assessment of Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Subdivision 3Ps Thorny skate

Regional Advisory Meeting – Newfoundland and Labrador Region

November 2-6, 2020
Virtual meeting

Chairperson: Krista Baker

Context

The status of Subdivision 3Ps Thorny Skate was last assessed by DFO NL Region in 2012 (DFO 2013). An assessment of Thorny Skate in NAFO Divisions 3LNO and Subdivisions 3Ps was completed in 2020 (Simpson and Miri 2020).

The current assessment is requested by the Fisheries Management Branch to provide scientific advice on the status of Thorny Skate in NAFO Subdivision 3Ps for the 2021-22 fishing season.

Objectives

• Provide an oceanographic and environmental overview for the stock area. If possible, this information should be integrated into the advice.
• Assess and report on the status of Thorny skate in 3Ps based on:
• Overall landing distribution (with a breakdown by fishing gear and directed species) from commercial fishery statistics.
• Biological data resulting from the commercial sampling program (size structure).
• Current abundance, biomass, recruitment, exploitation rate, fishing and natural mortality, and biological characteristics (including age composition, size at age, age at maturity, and distribution) from research surveys up to 2020.
• To the extent possible, describe the above variables in relation to historic observations.
• Evaluate the impact of maintaining and changing current harvest levels.
• Identify biomass and/or fishing mortality Limit Reference Points (or appropriate proxies).
• Highlight major sources of uncertainty in the assessment.
• Identify indicators that should be evaluated during the years without a formal stock assessment.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report (SAR)
• Proceedings

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science and Fisheries Management Branches)
• French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER)
• Provincial Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
• Academia
• Indigenous groups
• Non-government organizations

References

DFO. 2013. Stock Assessment of NAFO Subdivision 3Ps Thorny Skate. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2012/077.

Simpson, M.R., and Miri, C.M. 2020. Assessment of Thorny Skate (Amblyraja radiata Donovan, 1808) in NAFO Divisions 3LNO and Subdivision 3Ps. NAFO Sci. Coun. Res. Doc. 20/41, Ser. No. N7089. 36p