Terms of Reference

Stock Status Update of Bay of Fundy Scallop in Scallop Production Areas (SPAs) 1A, 1B, and 3-6

Regional Peer Review - Region

November 21, 2023

Virtual Meeting

Chairperson: Rabindra Singh

Context

Harvesting of Sea Scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) in the Bay of Fundy and Approaches includes commercial, commercial communal, and food, social, and ceremonial (FSC) harvesting. The Bay of Fundy commercial fishery is fished by three scallop fleets: Full Bay, Mid Bay, and Upper Bay. The Full Bay Fleet operates under an Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) system, and the Mid and Upper Bay fleets operate under competitive quotas. Total Allowable Catches (TACs) are set for the commercial fishery and landings are reported by meat weight (i.e. adductor muscle). Population surveys are conducted annually by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). The last full stock assessment was held in November 2015 (DFO 2016), and all stocks were determined to be in the Healthy Zone at that time. An interim update for the fishery was conducted in November 2022 (DFO 2023), with all stocks continuing to be in the Healthy Zone.

This Science Response Report evaluates the status of Bay of Fundy scallop stocks by SPA (1A, 1B, 3, 4, 5, and 6).

Objectives

The objectives of this regional science response process are:

• using established reference points, harvest strategies and indicators, update the outcomes of different harvest levels in the SPAs 1A, 1B, 3, 4, 5, and 6 for the 2023/2024 season;
• provide advice on the interim harvest levels for the start of the 2024/2025 season for SPA 1A, 1B, 3, and 4;
• summarize available bycatch of non-target species information and identify any notable changes in occurrence of these bycatch species relative to previous years.

Expected Publications

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• DFO Science
• DFO Resource Management

References

• DFO. 2023. Stock status update of Scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) in Scallop Production Areas 1 to 6 in the Bay of Fundy. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2023/011.
• DFO. 2016. Assessment of Scallops (Placopecten magellanicus) in Scallop Production Areas 1 to 6 in the Bay of Fundy. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2016/004.