Terms of Reference

Stock Assessment for Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) in the North and South Stock Assessment Regions for the 2025-26 Fishing Season

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

March 11-14, 2025

St. John's, NL

Chairpersons: Aaron Adamack and Kevin Hedges

Context

The Fisheries Resource Management sector of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has requested an assessment of Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) for the North and South Stock Assessment Regions using a new framework (DFO, in prep^{Footnote 1}) as the basis for harvest advice for the 2025-2026 fishing season.

The status of Northern Shrimp was previously assessed by Shrimp Fishing Area (SFA). Advice was provided for SFAs 4, 5, and 6 in Winter 2024 (DFO 2024a). Stock status updates for Northern Shrimp in the Eastern Assessment Zone (EAZ) and the Western Assessment Zone (WAZ) were also completed in Winter 2024 (DFO 2024b,c).

Objectives

For the North and South Stock Assessment Regions, provide advice on:

• Stock status as per the Precautionary Approach Framework (i.e., SSB relative to reference points), taking into account assumptions regarding stock structure and biomass indices trends including the historical trajectory of both stock and fishing indicators.
• 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 (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. Shrimp Fishing Areas (SFA) 4-6 Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) Stock Assessment in 2023. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2024/061.
• 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. 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.