Terms of Reference

Stock Assessment for Striped Shrimp (Pandalus montagui) in Shrimp Fishing Area 4, the Eastern Assessment Zone, and the Western Assessment Zone for the 2025-26 Fishing Season

Multi-Regional Peer Review - Newfoundland and Labrador Region and Arctic Region

March 10-11, 2025

St. John's, NL

Chairpersons: Aaron Adamack and Kevin Hedges

Context

The Fisheries Resource Management sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has requested the current assessment of Striped Shrimp (Pandalus montagui) in Shrimp Fishing Area (SFA) 4, the Eastern Assessment Zone (EAZ), and the Western Assessment Zone (WAZ) as the basis for harvest advice for the 2025-2026 fishing season.

Stock status updates for Striped Shrimp in the EAZ, WAZ, and SFA 4 were completed in winter 2024 (DFO 2024a,b,c).

Objectives

For the EAZ, WAZ and SFA 4 provide advice on:

• stock status and trends within the context of the Precautionary Approach Framework (i.e., reference points), taking into account assumptions regarding stock structure and biomass indices including the historical and recent trajectory of both stock and fishing indicators; and,
• ecosystem and climate change considerations affecting the stock, such as oceanographic conditions, biological community structure and trends, and pertinent knowledge of ecological interactions (e.g., predator, prey) and stressors (e.g., anthropogenic impacts).

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science, and Fisheries Resource Management sectors)
• Province of Newfoundland and Labrador – Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture
• Government of Nunavut
• Nunatsiavut Government
• Indigenous Groups
• Fishing Industry
• Academia
• Non-government organizations
• Co-management organizations

References

• DFO. 2024a. Update of Stock Status Indicators for Northern Shrimp, Pandalus borealis, and Striped Shrimp, Pandalus montagui, in the Eastern Assessment Zone, February 2024. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2024/017.
• DFO. 2024b. Update of Stock Status Indicators for Northern Shrimp, Pandalus borealis, and Striped Shrimp, Pandalus montagui, in the Western Assessment Zone, February 2024. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2024/016.
• DFO. 2024c. Stock Status Update of Shrimp Fishing Area 4 Striped Shrimp (Pandalus montagui) in 2023. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2024/028.