Terms of Reference

Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (3Pn, 4RS) Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) Stock Assessment in 2024

Regional Peer Review - Quebec Region

February 18-19, 2025

Mont-Joli, QC

Chairperson: Mathieu Boudreau

Context

The Ecosystems and Fisheries Management Sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has requested detailed advice on the status of the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) stock in order to guide management decisions for this stock for the next management cycle. This stock is prescribed under section 6 of the Fisheries Act.

In May 2022, a CSAS meeting reviewed the assessment framework for this stock and approved a new assessment model. The last full stock assessment took place in February 2023 (DFO 2023). An update of the stock status indicators was carried out in January 2024 (DFO 2024).

Finally, as this stock is below its limit reference point, a rebuilding plan was completed, based on certain scientific elements peer-reviewed in October 2023 (Benoît and Ouellette-Plante 2023) and should be published soon. Since 2022, no commercial fishing directed at Atlantic cod in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence has been permitted.

Objectives

The objective of the meeting is to provide scientific advice on:

• Stock status and trends, relative to stock reference points, based on assessment model outputs and a number of indicators. This includes the historical and recent trajectory of stock and fishery indicators, such as spawning stock biomass, landings and bycatch in other fisheries, recruitment and mortality.
• Ecosystem and climate change considerations related to Atlantic cod habitat.
• Analysis of biological indicators related to condition, growth and maturity.
• Spawning stock biomass projections for 2025 to 2028 under the harvest scenarios identified in the rebuilding plan.
• Highlight major sources of uncertainty in the assessment.
• Identification and prioritization of research projects to be considered for the future.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science Sector and Ecosystems and Fisheries Management Sector)
• Provincial governments
• Academia
• Indigenous communities/organizations
• Fishing industry
• Environmental non-government organizations

References

• Benoît, H.P., and Ouellette-Plante, J. 2023. Scientific Elements of the Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (NAFO 3Pn4RS) Atlantic Cod Rebuilding Plan. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2023/085. iv + 28 p.
• DFO. 2023. Assessment of the Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (3Pn, 4RS) Atlantic Cod Stock in 2022. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2023/035.
• DFO. 2024. Update of Stock Status Indicators for the Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence Atlantic Cod Stock (3Pn, 4RS) in 2023. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2024/011.