Fisheries scientists say northern shrimp stocks haven’t gotten any worse in the past year. But they’re also still a fraction of what they were in the early 2000s.
The stocks in the lucrative Area 6 off the northeast coast have gone from almost 800-thousand tonnes in 2006, to just over 100-thousand tonnes in the most recent assessment released yesterday, leaving stocks in that area classified as critical.
That makes it highly unlikely the total allowable catch will see any significant increase this year, as the FFAW is seeking.
DFO biologist Katherine Skanes is confident the latest results are reliable, despite some issues related to the pandemic.
She says there was a lapse in data collection by at-sea observers because they were restricted from boarding commercial vessels, but she says there was no direct impact on the survey results.
Skanes says at-sea observers are more concerned with the length, makeup and distribution of catches, adding that poor weather and availability of vessels did impact some of the 2020 survey.
Meetings will now be held with industry players and Indigenous groups to gather information and concerns.
That feedback, along with the science, will then be forwarded to the federal fisheries minister before catch rates are set for this year.
Today, #DFOScience shared advice to media and stakeholders from the recent Northern shrimp stock assessment. See the key takeaways below. pic.twitter.com/aR1hdga9zz
— DFO_NL (@DFO_NL) March 4, 2021