Stock Status Update of West Coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R) Herring for the 2024 and 2025 Fishing Seasons

Abstract

The stock assessment of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) of the west coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R) is conducted every two years, with the most recent assessment completed in March 2022 (DFO 2022). The next full assessment of this stock, scheduled for March 2024, has been cancelled to allow the review of the assessment framework. The first part of the review took place on April 4-5, 2023, and focused on the data and indices available from a tagging study, the commercial fishery, and acoustic surveys. These inputs will contribute to the renewed assessment framework. The second part of the review, which will take place during 2024-25, will aim at establishing a new assessment model and limit reference points consistent with Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) precautionary approach (DFO 2009). The next full stock assessment will be conducted in 2025-2026. DFO’s Fisheries Management Branch requested that the Science Branch provides a status update of the west coast of Newfoundland herring stocks and recommend harvest advice for the 2024 and 2025 fishing seasons. The purpose of this Science Response is to update the main status indicators of the 4R herring stocks up to the end of 2022, to estimate the current size at 50% maturity (L50), and to provide recommendations on harvest levels for the 2024 and 2025 fishing seasons based on the available data. This Science Response Report results from the regional peer review of January 11, 2024 on the Stock Status Update of West Coast of Newfoundland (NAFO Division 4R) Herring for the 2024 and 2025 Fishing Seasons.