Stock status update of Scotian Shelf silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis) in NAFO divisions 4VWX

Abstract

Advice on the status of the Scotian Shelf portion of the Silver Hake (Merluccius bilinearis) stock in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Divisions 4VWX is requested annually by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Resource Management to determine a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) consistent with the Integrated Fishery Management Plan (IFMP). The most recent framework and assessment of Silver Hake were conducted in 2012 (Cook 2013, Stone et al. 2013, DFO 2013). An analytical reconstruction of population trends based on commercial landings and Research Vessel (RV) survey data from 1993–2011 was developed through the framework process, using a logistic biomass dynamics model. The 2013 Framework also defined the Upper Stock Reference (USR) as 80% of Biomass at Maximum Sustainable Yield (BMSY), the Limit Reference Point (LRP) was defined as 40% BMSY and Fishing mortality at Maximum Sustainable Yield (FMSY) was established as the Limit Removal Reference (RR) based on the median estimates of r and K (DFO 2013). The consequences and risk to productivity of the stock were evaluated under a number of harvest options (DFO 2013). Since the 2012 framework assessment, science advice has been provided annually as a stock status update and published as a Science Response. The objective of the interim update is to report new information from the DFO Summer RV Survey and commercial landings data. Recent trends in biomass and fishing mortality are evaluated against the values for BMSY and FMSY derived in the framework assessment. The most recent update occurred in December 2019 (DFO 2020). This Science Response Report results from the regional peer review of December 6–7, 2022 on the Stock Status Update of Silver Hake in 4VWX.