Terms of Reference

Review of Rebuilding Plan Simulations for Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Subdivision 3Ps Atlantic Cod

Regional Peer Review - Newfoundland & Labrador Region

November 28-30, 2022
Virtual Meeting

Chairperson: Mark Simpson

Context

3Ps cod is one of 30 major stocks that are subject to the Fish Stock Provisions that came into force through regulations on April 4, 2022. As 3Ps cod is below its Limit Reference Point (DFO 2022), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has a legal requirement to develop a Rebuilding Plan for this stock that meets the requirements of the Fish Stock Provisions (DFO 2021). The Department has committed to developing a Rebuilding Plan for 3Ps cod by December 2022.

As part of this process, measurable objectives, a rebuilding target and timeline, and performance metrics have been developed for the 3Ps Cod Rebuilding Plan.  Operating models, with various scenarios of recruitment and natural mortality, have been developed to simulate stock dynamics to help evaluate the performance of management procedures in meeting the measurable objectives.

This meeting is requested by DFO Science to conduct an independent review of the modelling and simulation work that has been done to support the development of the 3Ps Cod Rebuilding Plan.    Examples of management procedures have been provided to facilitate the review of the robustness of this modelling and simulation work.  The outputs of the Regional Peer Review will be utilized to inform the development of candidate management procedures for the  3Ps Atlantic Cod Rebuilding Plan.

Objectives

• Evaluate long term management strategy simulations and resulting rebuilding timelines. Evaluation will include a review of operating models and their input parameters (i.e., recruitment & natural mortality scenarios).
• Review the performance of example management procedures in achieving the rebuilding plan’s proposed measurable objectives under the operating models and input parameters (natural mortality and recruitment scenarios).

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document
• Proceedings

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO Science, Policy and Economics, Ecosystems Management and Fisheries Management Branches)
• Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Government of Newfoundland and Labrador – Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Department
• IFREMER (Government of France – French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea)
• Indigenous Groups
• Academia
• Industry
• Non-government organizations

References

• DFO. 2022. Stock Assessment of NAFO Subdivision 3Ps Cod. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2022/022.
• DFO. 2021. Science Guidelines to Support Development of Rebuilding Plans for Canadian Fish Stocks. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2021/006.