Terms of Reference

Stock status update for Lobster Fishing Areas 27-32

Regional Peer Review – Maritimes Region

January 24, 2023
Virtual Meeting

Chairperson: Rabindra Singh

Context

American Lobster (Homarus americanus) is found in coastal waters from Maryland to southern Labrador, with the major fisheries concentrated around Gulf of Maine and the Gulf of St. Lawrence areas. Though lobster is most common in coastal waters, they are also found in deeper, warm water areas of the Gulf of Maine and along the outer edge of the continental shelf from North Carolina to Sable Island.

Lobster in Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) 27–32 is assessed on a multi-year assessment schedule, with stock framework and assessment science advisory processes conducted approximately every five years and stock status updates conducted in the interim years. The last framework review was conducted in February 2018. The 2018 framework presented a suite of primary, secondary, and contextual indicators for use as stock assessment indicators as well as upper stock and limit reference indicators. This Update reports on the indicators to the end of the 2022 fishing season.

Objectives

The objectives of this Regional Advisory Process are to:

• Update the values for the primary stock status indicators adopted during the 2018 Stock Framework Regional Advisory Process to report on the stock status of LFAs 27–32 Lobster stocks to the end of the 2022 season.
• Update secondary stock indicators, as possible.
• Evaluate the primary indicators against the reference points for LFAs 27–32.

Expected Publication

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• DFO Science
• DFO Fisheries Management