Terms of Reference

Estuary and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 12A, 12C, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16A and 17) Snow Crab (Chionoecetes opilio) Stocks Assessment in 2024

Regional Peer Review - Quebec Region

February 11-13, 2025

Mont-Joli, QC

Chairpersons: Charley Cyr and Kim Emond

Context

The Fisheries Management sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has requested scientific advice on the status of the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) stocks in the estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 13 to 17, 12A, 12C and 16A). These stocks are part of the large fish stocks covered by sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Fisheries Act.

The resource assessment is carried out each year to determine whether changes in the status of the resource warrant adjustments to the conservation approach and the management plan. The last stock assessment took place in in 2024 (DFO 2024).

Objectives

Provide scientific advice on the management of the Estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 13-17, 12A, 12C and 16A) Snow crab stocks for the 2025 fishing season based on:

• Stock status and trends for each management area: Landings, standardized catch per unit of effort (CPUE) during commercial fishery, number per unit of effort (NUE) of legal and sub-legal size crabs in the post-season surveys, the evolution over time of size distributions observed during commercial fishing and in fishery-independent surveys, as well as spermathecal load, when available, and the combined index;
• The most recent knowledge provided by research surveys on this species;
• Ecosystem and climate change considerations;
• Identification and prioritization of research work to consider for the future.
• Perspectives on management measures in effect for the 2025 fishing season for each of the management units.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science and Fisheries management)
• Provincial governments
• Academia and external experts
• Indigenous communities and organizations
• Fishing industry
• Environmental non-government organizations

References

• DFO. 2024. Assessment of the Estuary and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Areas 13-17, 12A, 12C and 16A) Snow Crab Stocks in 2023. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2024/036.