Revue du stock de crabe commun (Cancer irroratus) du sud du golfe du Saint-Laurent jusqu'en 2023

Abstract

The Atlantic rock crab commercial fishery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (sGSL) began in the 1960s, when bycatch from the lobster fishery started being sold to registered buyers. A directed exploratory fishery was launched in 1974 on a modest scale, and more significant development followed in the 1980s with the issuance of exploratory licences across the five management areas: Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) 23, 24, 25, 26A, and 26B. The most recent stock assessment was conducted in 2013; however, at that time no Limit Reference Point (LRP) was set. Subsequent updates to Fishery Status Indicators in 2018 and 2022 provided fisheries management with updated information from key data sources. This research document provides an overview of the fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data available for the rock crab stock in the sGSL. It also proposes candidate data sources and methods to support the establishment of an LRP. Fishery-dependent indicators presented include landings from the directed and bycatch fisheries, standardized catch per unit effort (CPUE), and the estimated number of fishing days required to land 9,000 kg. Fishery-independent indicators include a trap survey CPUE, a dockside length-frequency monitoring program, and a bio-collector program to assess recruitment. In addition, results from a lobster predator abundance model are discussed. Based on the standardized CPUE, an LRP is proposed at 5.02 kg/trap, which is below the current CPUE level of 7.38 kg/trap. This LRP would place the stock in the Cautious zone.