Terms of Reference

Update of NAFO Division 3KLPs Atlantic Herring

Regional Peer Review - Newfoundland and Labrador Region

January 22, 2025

St. John’s, NL

Chairperson: Luiz Mello

Context

The Resource Management sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has requested a stock status update for 3KLPs Atlantic Herring. The current update is requested to inform the development of management measures for the stocks for the upcoming fishing seasons.

The update will review new information on status of stock complexes of East and South coast Newfoundland herring in the aforementioned stock area. The advice will be used to set total allowable catch (TAC) for the 2J3KLPs herring fishery for 2025–26. NAFO Divisions 3KLPs herring was last assessed in 2022.

Objectives

Provide updates on:

• interim estimates of stock status for herring stock complexes and advice for management, where possible;
• ecosystem and climate change considerations affecting the stock including relevant summaries of oceanographic conditions, biological community structure and trends, and pertinent knowledge of ecological interactions (e.g., predator, prey);
• abundance and recruitment indices from the research gillnet program;
• biomass indices from acoustic surveys;
• catches up to and including the 2023 fishery.

Expected Publications

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science and Resource Management sectors)