Division 3M Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) – Interim Monitoring Update

Abstract

This document updates some of the indices for northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) harvested within NAFO Divisions 3M. The last assessment for this resource was completed, within Scientific Council in September2020. The shrimp fishery was resumed in 2020 and Scientific Council in the last assessment completed in September 2020, recommended that since the estimated biomass was above Blim and there were indications of improvement in recruitment from the survey in 2020, there was sufficient evidence to allow a small amount of directed fishing on this stock. Considering the uncertainty about the future recruitments and the response of the resource to resumed exploitation, Scientific Council advised that the catch in 2021 remain at the same level that 2020 (5 448 t). Unlike 2020 where the catches and effort directed at shrimp were marginal, in 2021 the preliminary catches (until 6 September) were 5 791 t carried out in 420 days of fishing. The biomass indices from EU survey decreased by 69 % compared to 2020, confirming the downward trend that began in 2020. In 2021 the total and female biomass indexes were 2101 t and 1797 t respectively. The abundance at age 3, corresponding to the relatively strong 2018 year class, was 43% lower than estimated in 2020 and revealed a weaker recruitment than expected. Also the abundance at age 2 (2019 year class), estimated from the main gear and the small bag attached on the cod-end, decreased around 92 % and 74 % respectively compared with 2020showing the weakness of 2019 year class. The stock is now below Blim and it is in the collapse zone defined by the NAFO PA framework. To be consistent with the precautionary approach, fishing mortality should be kept as close to zero as possible when a stock is in the collapse zone. Therefore, considering the decline of the stock and the poor prospects for recruitment to the fishable stock in the coming years, Scientific Council advises that the fishing mortality and catch be set as close to zero as possible by 2022.UE