Distribution and abundance of witch flounder on Flemish Cap and in Flemish Pass based on Canadian and EU research vessel survey data

Abstract

Small catches of witch flounder often have been reported from NAFO Division 3M as small by-catches in other groundfish fisheries but has never been a regulated species for this area. In recent years, witch flounder has been reported more frequently as a by-catch in the Greenland halibut fishery in the deep waters of Flemish Pass. Because Flemish Pass is artificially split by the dividing line between Division 3L and 3M concern has been expressed that those catches are likely to be more associated with the witch flounder stock in Divisions 2J, 3KL which has been under moratorium since the mid 1990’s. As a consequence, it has been considered that witch flounder in Division 3M is probably a logical extension of the stock in Divisions 2J, 3KL which is distributed along the continental slope area to as far south as the deep eastern slope of the Grand Bank extending into Flemish Pass. The purpose of this paper is to describe the distribution and abundance of witch flounder in NAFO Division 3M and hypothesize as to its potential relationship with the witch flounder resource in Divisions 2J, 3KL.