a) Request by Denmark (on behalf of Greenland) for advice on management in 2018 of certain stocks in Subareas 0 and 1
i) Golden redfish, demersal deep-sea redfish, Atlantic wolfish and spotted wolfish
Advice on golden redfish (Sebastes marinus), demersal deep-sea redfish (Sebastes mentella), Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) and spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor) in Subarea 1 was in 2014 given for 2015-2017.
Denmark (on behalf of Greenland) requests the Scientific for advice on these species.
Scientific Council responded:
37 SC 01 – 15 June 2017
Demersal Redfish in Subarea 1 Advice June 2017 for 2018-2020
Recommendation for 2018 - 2020
Deep-sea redfish and Golden redfish: The Scientific Council advises that there should be no directed fishery.
Management objectives
No explicit management plan or management objectives has been defined by the Government of Greenland.
Management unit
These two species are managed as a single unit. Survey data reveal an almost continuous distribution of both species from East Greenland to West Greenland; both areas had geographically distinct fisheries historically.
However, the degree of connectivity between the two areas is unknown.
Stock status Golden redfish
The EU-Germany and Greenland Shrimp and fish survey have revealed increasing biomass of golden redfish in the recent decade but divergent trends in 2016. However, the EU-Germany survey had low coverage in 2016.
The EU-Germany survey is however still far below the 1980s biomass index, which was before the Greenland shrimp and fish survey was initiated. In the Greenland shrimp and fish survey, virtually no new incoming year classes have been observed since 2011 in West Greenland or in East Greenland waters in the recent 4-6 years.
Deep-sea redfish
The Greenland-Japan survey indicates that the biomass decreased from 1987 to 1995. The Greenland deep survey indicates that the biomass remained low until 2007. Both the Greenland deep-sea survey and the Greenland shrimp and fish survey agree that the biomass of deep-sea redfish has gradually been increasing since 2008. Recruitment has been at a very low level in the area for almost 2 decades. In the Greenland shrimp and fish survey, virtually no new incoming year classes have been observed since 2011 in West Greenland or in East Greenland waters in the recent 4-6 years.
0
1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016
Catch/TAC ('000 tonnes)
1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014 2017
Greenland SFW abundance index
EU Germany abundance Index
Year
1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014 2017
Biomass Index
1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014 2017
Biomass Index
SC 01 – 15 June 2017 38
Reference points Could not be established.
Assessment
No analytical assessment was performed. Biomass and abundance indices from surveys were considered the best source of information.
Human impact
Mainly fishery related mortality. Other mortality sources (e.g. pollution, shipping, oil-industry) are undocumented.
Environmental impact Unknown
Fishery
The proportions of golden and deep-sea redfish in the historic catches are Unknown. The catches of redfish peaked in the 1960s at 60 000 tonnes, but gradually decreased during the 1970s and 1980s. A significant unreported bycatch of redfish was likely taken during the 1980s and 1990s in the fishery targeting shrimp.
With the implementation of sorting grids in the shrimp fishery in 2002 bycatch has been reduced.
Recent catch estimates (‘000 tonnes) are as follows:
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
TAC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
STATLANT 21 0.3 0 0.02 0 0.2 0.12 0.16 0.25 0.19 0.16 STACFIS 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.16 0.17 0.17 0.26 0.17
Effects of the fishery on the ecosystem
There is currently no significant directed fishery in West Greenland. Recent landings of redfish are bycatches taken in other fisheries: mainly longline, gillnet or jigging in the inshore and coastal areas, and trawl in the offshore areas.
Special comments
The increasing biomasses of both redfish species observed in the surveys could be a consequence of either increased survival of redfish after the implementation of sorting grids in the shrimp fishery and/or migration of redfish from nearby areas.
Sources of Information
SCR Doc. 17/015 021 039 and; SCS Doc. 17/08.
39 SC 01 – 15 June 2017
Wolffish in Subarea 1 Advice June 2017 for 2018-2020
Recommendation for 2018 - 2020
Atlantic wolffish: The Scientific Council advises that there should be no directed fishery.
Spotted wolffish: The Scientific Council advises that the TAC should not exceed 975 tonnes.
Management objectives
No explicit management plan or management objectives have been defined by the Government of Greenland.
Management unit
Atlantic wolffish is known to be more connected to the offshore banks in South and West Greenland and is considered a single unit.
Spotted wolffish is found in all areas both inshore and offshore, but is known to be the dominating species in the coastal regions and the fjords in South, West and North Greenland. It is presumed to be a single stock.
Stock status
Atlantic wolffish: The biomass indices of the EU-Germany survey is far below the initial values.
Spotted wolffish: There is no sign that the recent decrease in the landings was caused by a decrease in the stock.
The average of the EU-Germany survey biomass index for the recent 3 year is near the same level as in the 1982-1984 period. The Greenland Shrimp and fish survey biomass index average for the recent 3 years, is 19%
higher than the prior 4 year period.
Reference points
1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016
Atlantic wolffish biomass index
1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016
Atlantic wolffish biomass index
1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016
Spotted wolffish biomass index
1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016
Spotted wolffish biomass index
Year Greenland SFW 1A-F Spotted wolffish
SC 01 – 15 June 2017 40
Assessment
No analytical assessment was performed. The assessment was based upon a qualitative evaluation of survey indices, length composition and historic fishery. The assessment is considered data limited and with relatively high uncertainty, as surveys do not fully cover the distribution of the stock.
Human impact
Mainly fishery related mortality. Other mortality sources (e.g. pollution, shipping, oil-industry) are undocumented.
Environmental impact Unknown
Fishery
Wolffish are primarily taken in a directed longline fishery or as a bycatch in longline, gillnet or trawl fisheries.
The proportions of Atlantic and spotted wolffish in the catches are unknown, but there is little doubt that spotted wolffish constitutes the majority of recent landings since the fishery takes place in the coastal areas and the fjords where spotted wolffish is known to be the dominating species. Furthermore, the majority of the Atlantic wolffish observed in surveys are smaller than normal commercial sizes, whereas spotted wolffish between 70 and 110 cm are plentiful.
Recent catch estimates (tonnes) are as follows:
Effects of the fishery on the ecosystem
Wolffish in the area are targeted with longlines, selecting mainly adult fish and with low environmental impact.
Special comments
For spotted woffish, the ICES Harvest Control Rule 3.2 for data limited stocks was used as a basis for giving TAC advice (mean survey index 𝑦𝑦1−3/mean 𝑦𝑦4−7=1.19). The survey index used was the Greenland survey as its distribution was appropriate to the distribution of the stock. The 1st year ‘precautionary buffer’ of 20%
reduction was applied.
Sources of Information
SCR Doc. 17/015 036 and; SCS Doc. 17/08.
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Atlantic wolffish TAC 1.0 1.0 1000
Spotted wolffish TAC 1.025 1.025 1025
Wolffish TAC 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.025 2.025 2025
STATLANT 21 1.2 .05 0.009 .8 1.0 .9 .9 0.4 0.2
STACFIS 1.2 1.1 1.3 .8 1.0 .9 .9 0.4 0.2
41 SC 01 – 15 June 2017
ii) Greenland halibut in Div. 1A (inshore)
Advice on Greenland halibut in Division 1A inshore was in 2016 given for 2017 and 2018. Denmark (on behalf of Greenland) requests Scientific Council to continue to monitor the status, and should significant changes in the stock status be observed the Scientific Council is requested to provide updated advice for Greenland halibut as appropriate.
Scientific Council responded:
The assessment (interim monitoring) found nothing to indicate a significant change in the status of this stock. Accordingly, Scientific Council therefore did not change the advice. The next full assessment of this stock will take place in 2018.
iii) Pandalus borealis east of Greenland and in the Denmark Strait (in conjunction with ICES) (Item 5) Furthermore, the Scientific Council is in cooperation with ICES requested to provide advice on the scientific basis for management of Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) in Denmark Strait and adjacent waters east of southern Greenland in 2018 and for as many years ahead as data allows for.
The Scientific Council deferred responding to this request to the SC/NIPAG meeting in September 2017.
b) Request by Canada and Denmark (Greenland) for Advice on Management in 2016
i) Greenland halibut in Div. 0A and the offshore areas of Div. 1A, plus Div. 1B (Annex 2, Item 3; Annex 3, Item 1)
For Greenland halibut in Subareas 0 + 1 advice was in 2016 given for 2017 and 2018. Subject to the concurrence of Canada as regards Subareas 0 and 1, the Scientific Council is requested to continue to monitor the status, and should significant changes in the stock status be observed, the Scientific Council is requested to provide updated advice for Greenland halibut as appropriate in 1) the offshore areas of NAFO Division 0A and Division 1A plus Division 1B and 2) NAFO Division 0B plus Divisions 1C-1F. The Scientific Council is also asked to advise on any other management measures it deems appropriate to ensure the sustainability of these resources.
Scientific Council responded:
The assessment (interim monitoring) found nothing to indicate a significant change in the status of these stocks. Accordingly, Scientific Council therefore did not change the advice. The next full assessment of this stock will take place in 2018.
ii) Pandalus borealis in Subareas 0 and 1
Subject to the concurrence of Canada as regards Subarea 0 and 1, Denmark (on behalf of Greenland) requests the Scientific Council before December 2017 to provide advice on the scientific basis for management of Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) in Subarea 0 and 1 in 2018 and for as many years ahead as data allows for.
The Scientific Council deferred responding to this request to the SC/NIPAG meeting in September 2017.
SC 01 – 15 June 2017 42
VIII.REVIEW OF FUTURE MEETINGS ARRANGEMENTS