FIRMS - Marine Resource fact sheets - Redfish

Redfish - Southwestern Grand Bank

Fact Sheet Title Fact Sheet

Stocks management recommendations 2022

Redfish - Southwestern Grand Bank

Redfish in Div. 3O

Owned by

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) – ownership

ident Block

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Species List:

Sebastes spp

Species Ref: en - Atlantic redfishes nei, fr - Sébastes de l'Atlantique nca, es - Gallinetas del Atlántico nep, ru - Окуни морские

ident Block Redfish - Southwestern Grand Bank

Aq Res Ident

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Aq Res
Biological Stock: Biological Stock Value: Regional Management Unit: Management Unit Reference Year: 2021

Table of Contents

Habitat Bio - Geo Dist - Water Area Overview - Management - Aq Res State Trend - Bio Assess - Exploit - Sources

Aq Res State Trend

Aq Res State Trend
	Aq Res State Trend	Aq Res State Trend
Aq Res State Trend	None-Low Fishing Mortality	No or low fishing mortality	ⓘ
Aq Res State Trend	Unknown Stock Size	Uncertain/Not assessed	ⓘ

Stock is below an interim survey-based proxy for BMSY. Biomass in 2020 was above the limit reference point (Blim =0.3 BMSY proxy) with a high probability [P(B2020> Blim) = >0.99]. Biomass relative to the reference point cannot be determined in 2021 as Canadian Spring and Autumn surveys did not occur in Div. 3O. However, given the slow growth of redfish and interpretation of year-over-year index fluctuations, stock status in 2021 is assumed to be similar to 2020.

Recruitment indices since 2012 have generally been at or below series averages.

Habitat Bio

Climatic Zone: Temperate. Bottom Type: Unspecified. Depth Zone: Slope-Deepslope 500-1000m. Horizontal Dist: Neritic. Vertical Dist: Demersal/Benthic.

Geo Dist

Geo Dist: Straddling between High Seas and EEZ

Water Area Overview

Spatial Scale: Spatial Scale

Water Area Overview

Aq Res Struct

Biological Stock: Biological Stock

Exploit

Redfish are caught primarily in bottom trawl fisheries, but in the past, some landings were reported from midwater trawl fisheries. In directed redfish fisheries, Atlantic cod, American plaice, witch flounder and other species are landed as bycatch. In turn, redfish are also caught as bycatch in fisheries directing for other species. The fishery in NAFO division 3O is regulated by minimal mesh size and quota.

Recent catch estimates and TACs (‘000 tonnes) are:

Effects of the fishery on the ecosystem

The impact of bottom fishing activities on major VMEs in the NRA was last assessed in 2021. The risk of Significant Adverse Impacts (SAIs) on sponge and large gorgonian VMEs was assessed to be low, while this risk for sea pen VMEs has been assessed as intermediate. The risks of SAIs on small gorgonian, black coral, bryozoan and sea squirt VMEs were assessed as high. This assessment of impacts of bottom fishing activities on VMEs does not include waters within coastal states jurisdictions. Within the Grand Bank (3LNO) EPU areas in Div. 3O and 3L have been closed to fishing to protect corals.

Bio Assess

Results

Ref Point

A survey-based proxy for BMSY is defined as the time series average (since 1991) of a combined Biomass index from both CAN-Spring and CAN-Autumn surveys. An interim Blim is defined at 0.3 BMSY -proxy. As survey indices can show unrealistic fluctuations year over year, a single year above or below Blim is insufficient to indicate a change in stock status.

Projection

Quantitative assessment of risk at various catch options is not possible for this stock at this time.

Assess Models

Analytical assessment

Results

This assessment is based upon an evaluation of survey biomass , and recruitment indices and a fishing mortality proxy. Biomass indices show similar trends across the time series across Canadian Spring, Canadian Autumn, and EU-Spain surveys in Div. 3O. The assessment is considered data-limited and as such, associated with relatively high uncertainty. Input data are research survey indices and fishery data.

The next full assessment of this stock will be in 2025.

Human impact

Mainly fishery related mortality. Other sources (e.g. pollution, shipping, oil-industry) are undocumented.

Biological and environmental interactions

Redfish are slow growing and bear live young. Genetic analyses linked strong year-classes of juvenile S. fasciatus sampled from the Gulf of St. Lawrence with adults collected in NAFO Divs. 3LNO and southern 3Ps. Local plus distant dispersal of young fish makes the influences of physical and environmental processes on stock dynamics difficult to interpret.

The Grand Bank (3LNO) EPU continues to experience low overall productivity conditions, and total biomass remains well below pre-collapse levels. However, recent warming, earlier phytoplankton spring bloom, and an increase in the proportion of energy-rich copepod species may have positive effects on total ecosystem production in the coming years.

Fishing Mortality

Biomass

Sci Advice

Special comments

Reference points defined in the 2022 assessment are considered interim and will be reviewed at the 2028 assessment, or earlier if there are considerable advances in an analytical approach for this stock, or a significant change in available data or the understanding of stock dynamics.

Redfish are known to have variable and episodic recruitment, with potentially large periods of time between recruitment pulses and no strong relationships between stock size and recruitment. Impacts of delineations of stock boundaries and synchronicity between adjacent stocks are unknown.

Management

Management: Management

Advice

Recommendation for 2023-2025

The stock is below an interim survey-based proxy for BMSY but above the limit reference point (Blim =0.3MSY-proxy) with a probability >99%. There is insufficient information on which to base predictions of annual yield potential. Catches have averaged about 9 000 t over the period used for the MSY proxy calculation (1991 -2021). Scientific Council is unable to advise on an appropriate TAC for 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Objectives

No explicit management plan or management objectives have been defined by the Commission. Convention General Principles are applied (NAFO GC Doc. 07-04).

Stock definition for management purposes

The management unit is confined to NAFO Div. 3O.

Sources

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Scientific Council Documents SCR Doc. 22/05, 22/07, 22/044 and SCS Doc. 22/06, 22/07, 22/09, 22/13.

https://www.nafo.int/Library/Science/SC-Documents

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). 2022. Report of the Scientific Council Meeting, 03 – 16 June, 2022. NAFO SCS Doc. 22/18.

https://www.nafo.int/Portals/0/PDFs/sc/2022/scs22-18.pdf

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). 2008. Resolution on the Interpretation and Implementation of the Convention on the Future Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries. 30th Annual Meeting, September 2008. NAFO/GC Doc. 08/3.

https://www.nafo.int/Portals/0/PDFs/gc/2008/gcdoc08-03.pdf

Fisheries and Resources Monitoring System