A Precautionary Approach to assessment and management of shrimp stocks in the Northwest Atlantic

Abstract

Recent stock assessments for Atlantic Canadian shrimp (Pandalus borealis) stocks, including the Scotian Shelf, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Labrador-Newfoundland Shelf, were conducted using the checklist or "Traffic Light" method. Results were viewed positively by many scientists, fisheries managers and industry, and the method has since been adopted by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Oganization (NAFO) for "data poor" stocks. It is also being considered by other stock assessment/management organizations. A major drawback of the method in its current form is that it does not link assessments to TACs or other management controls. Modeling results suggest that "Traffic Light" scores can be linked to simple harvest control rules in a way that is consistent with shrimp stock dynamics and management requirements, creating an integrated management framework that could be useful for "data rich" as well as "data poor" stocks.