Terms of Reference

Stock Status Updates of Groundfish Stocks in the Maritimes Region

Regional Science Response Process – Maritimes Region

December 1-2, 2020
Virtual Meeting

Chairperson: Michelle Greenlaw

Context

In the Maritimes Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fisheries Management requests an annual assessment of resource status for a variety of groundfish species. DFO conducts full peer-reviewed stock assessments for a number of groundfish stocks on a multi-year assessment schedule; however, in the interim-years, monitoring continues with Science providing annual updates on the status of these stocks. In addition, DFO has conducted an annual Summer Research Vessel (RV) Survey in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization divisions 4VWX and a small portion of 5Y since 1970. Results of these updates and the annual RV Survey are used for discussion with various industry stakeholders on recommendations for management measures, with the results of the RV Survey used to determine which stocks should be reviewed in more detail.

Objectives

The objective of this Regional Science Response process is to review and evaluate biological and fishery information as well as provide updated advice on the status of the following stocks: Atlantic Halibut, Cusk, Haddock, Cod, Pollock, Unit 3 Redfish, and the RV Survey Trends. The objectives of each review are provided below.

3NOPs4VWX+5 Atlantic Halibut

• Review of biological and fishery information on 3NOPs4VWX5 Atlantic Halibut stock. In particular, update the landings, Research Vessel (RV) survey index of abundance and the halibut survey index of exploitable biomass to include 2020, the trend in fishing mortality (F) from traditional tagging, to monitor stock status and provide 2021 catch advice.

4VWX5 Cusk

• Provide the three-year geometric mean of the Cusk catch per unit effort from the DFO-Industry longline survey relative to the Upper Stock Reference (26.6 kg/1000 hooks) and the Limit Reference Point (13.3 kg/1000 hooks); and
• Provide updated landings information, as available.

4X5Y Haddock

• Provide the most recent survey and fishery information, including the catch-at-age, length composition, and weight-at-age, if available;
• Evaluate and comment on changes in available biological and fishery indicators: survey biomass index, relative F, total mortality (Z), and recruitment.
• Evaluate survey biomass index compared to time-series, 40% and 80% median (1985-2020).
• Include a table of indicators that provide support for either 1) increasing, 2) maintaining existing catch advice, or 3) reducing catch advice; and,
• Provide the most recent information (2019 and 2020) on the length of fish captured by the fleet.

4X5Y Cod

• Review and evaluate biological and fishery information on 4X5Y Cod. In particular, provide the following information and highlight any trends:
• fishery landings from previous years;
• research vessel (RV) survey biomass and length composition;
• age-structured indices of abundance;
• total mortality (Z) and relative fishing mortality (F) (to be used to evaluate against the proxy indicator for relative F; and
• Discuss whether exceptional circumstances should trigger an assessment for the following year.

Western Component Pollock

• Provide the 2020/21 Western Component Pollock catch level generated by the Harvest Control Rule described in the 2011 Science Advisory Report DFO 2011/054; and
• Update other indices of biomass for the WC Pollock stock, specifically US surveys and the Canadian summer survey, including sets on Georges Bank.

Unit 3 Redfish

• Review of biological and fishery information on Unit 3 Redfish stock status and characterize the uncertainty of the results. In particular, provide information on the distribution, biomass estimates, length composition, and condition, highlighting any biomass trends relative to 40% and 80% of the long-term average and the most recent period (5 years);
• Evaluate the current status of the stock relative to the adopted reference points;
• Report on the bycatch of non-target species in the Unit 3 Redfish Fishery; and
• Report on trends in relative F.

4VWX and 5Y Research Vessel Survey Trends

• Review and evaluate information obtained from the DFO Research Vessel (RV) Survey on the Scotian Shelf and in the Bay of Fundy. Specifically, update the RV survey trends document to include survey data for 2020;
• Provide information on distribution, biomass estimates and length composition, highlighting biomass trends relative to 40% and 80% of the long-term average;
• Provide a table reporting the biomass estimate for each stock for 2018, 2019 and 2020, as well as the averages; and,
• Provide the three-year geometric mean of the 42 cm+ 4X5 White Hake.

Expected Publications

• Science Response(s)

Expected Participation

• DFO Science, Maritimes Region
• DFO Resource Management, Maritimes Region