An assessment of Sea Scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) on St. Pierre Bank in 2019

Abstract

Populations of Sea Scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) on St. Pierre Bank are mainly found in three beds (North, Middle, and South beds) at depths of 40–100 m. They are usually found on hard bottom with variable substrate composition, consisting largely of sand, gravel, shell fragments, and stones. The Sea and Iceland Scallop distributions overlap to varying degrees with complete overlap in the Middle bed, and a high degree of overlap in the North bed. A large area in the southern portion of the South bed, with a sandy substrate, is inhabited by only Sea Scallop. The directed fishery for Sea Scallop started on the St. Pierre Bank in the late 1970s. Prior to 2006, the fishery was managed by total allowable catch (TAC), and meat count regulations were applied to the offshore fleet, but not to the inshore fleet. In 2006, following the recommendations of the Hooley Report, specific fishing areas and TACs were applied to each fleet. From 2006 to 2015, the offshore fleet did not fish on the St. Pierre Bank but began fishing again in 2016. In contrast, fishing has been consistently prosecuted in the North bed by the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) inshore fleet since 2006. From 2016 to 2019 landings averaged 720 t, round weight in the North bed, and 90 t, meat weight in the Middle and South beds. A Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) survey in September 2019 resulted in a minimum dredgeable biomass (MDB) estimate of 12,725 t, round weight. This point estimate is associated with high variability and a subsequent high level of uncertainty. The stock in the North bed is currently dominated by a modal group of scallop 75 mm, while in the Middle and South beds the modal group is 120 mm and 130 mm, respectively. The natural mortality index for Sea Scallop has decreased from 0.13 in 2015 to 0.02 in 2019, similar to levels observed from 2003 to 2006. The abundance of small scallop in the North bed indicate favourable prospects for the fishery in the near future.