Terms of Reference

Quantifying Changes in the Distribution of Atlantic Cod and Yellowtail Flounder on Georges Bank: A Case Study of the Canadian Offshore Scallop Fishery Time-Area Closures

Regional Science Advisory Process – Maritimes Region

November 3-4, 2020
Virtual meeting

Chairperson: Lottie Bennett

Context

Georges Bank has historically been one of the most productive fishing regions in the world and has had large fisheries for groundfish and Sea Scallop. While the Sea Scallop fishery on the bank remains healthy, the populations of several formerly abundant groundfish stocks, e.g. Atlantic cod and Yellowtail Flounder, have been near historically low levels for a decade or more. To assist with the recovery of the Atlantic Cod stock, a seasonal closure (early February to March 31st) on part of the bank was implemented starting in 2006. The objective of this closure was to protect spawning aggregations of cod by reducing discards from the Canadian Offshore Scallop Fishery (COSF) on Georges Bank. The following year, a similar closure was implemented in June for Yellowtail Flounder in an effort to reduce Yellowtail Flounder discards from the COSF.

The Atlantic Cod closures combine information from the Fisheries and Oceans Research Vessel survey and the COSF to develop a series of candidate cells for closure. The closure has typically covered an area of 213-300 km². The Yellowtail Flounder closures utilize historical bycatch information from the Canadian otter trawl fleet and the COSF to determine the closure location. This closure has typically covered an area of 128-300 km² and its location has remained unchanged since 2014.

The purpose of this framework is to develop an approach to quantify the spatio-temporal distribution of Atlantic Cod and Yellowtail Flounder on Georges Bank and assess the current COSF closures relative to these distributions.

Objectives

• Review a method to characterize the spatial and temporal variability in the distribution of Atlantic cod and Yellowtail flounder on Georges Bank.
• Quantify the temporal variation in the spatial distribution of Atlantic Cod and Yellowtail Flounder on Georges Bank.
• Using the COSF as a case study, apply the new methodology for predicting the distribution of Atlantic Cod and Yellowtail Flounder on Eastern Georges Bank (5Zjm) and discuss the effectiveness of current COSF closures in the context of these distributions.

Expected Publications

• Research Document
• Proceedings

Expected Participation

• DFO Science
• DFO Resource Management
• DFO Ecosystem Management
• Academia
• Aboriginal Organizations
• Fishing Industry
• Environmental Non-Government Organizations