Terms of Reference

Stock status update of west coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R) herring for the 2024 and 2025 fishing seasons

Regional Peer Review – Quebec Region

January 11, 2024

Virtual Meeting

Chairperson: Charley Cyr

Context

The stock assessment of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) of the west coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R) is conducted every two years, with the most recent assessment completed in March 2022. The next full assessment of this stock, scheduled for March 2024, has been canceled to allow the review of the assessment framework. The first part of the review took place on April 4-5, 2023 and focused on the data and indices available from a tagging study, the commercial fishery and acoustic surveys that will contribute to the renewed assessment framework. The second part, which will take place during 2024-25, will aim at establishing a new assessment model and limit reference points consistent with Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) precautionary approach. The next full stock assessment will be conducted in 2025-2026. DFO’s Fisheries Management Branch requested that Science Branch provide a stock status update of west coast of Newfoundland herring and recommend harvest advice for the 2024 and 2025 fishing seasons. The purpose of this meeting is to determine whether changes have occurred in the main stock status indicators that would require adjustments to the 2024-2025 management plan.

Objectives

The objectives of this regional Science Response Process are to:

• Update the status of the west coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R) spring- and fall-spawning herring stocks up to the end of 2022 using the following indicators:
  • commercial fishery landings;
  • age composition of commercial fishery catches;
• results of the 4R summer and fall acoustic surveys in 2022.
• Provide an estimation of the current size at 50% maturity (L50) of spring- and fall-spawning herring.
• Provide perspectives and/or recommendations on harvest levels for the 2024 and 2025 fishing seasons based on available data.

Expected Publications

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science and Resources Management Sectors)

References

• DFO. 2022. Assessment of the west coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R) herring (Clupea harengus) stocks in 2021. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2022/020.