A. GULF OF MAINE ATLANTIC COD (GADUS MORHUA) STOCK ASSESSMENT FOR 2012, UPDATED THROUGH 2011 Executive Summary

• Main Author: Discards Characterize
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: atlantic cod; Gadus morhua
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.367.5356; http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1311/parta.pdf

the uncertainty in these sources of data and take into account the recommendations and subsequent work from the March 2012 MRIP workshop. Evaluate available information on discard mortality and, if appropriate, update mortality rates applied to discard components of the catch. Since 1964, catch of Gulf of Maine Atlantic cod has ranged from 3,242 mt to 22,272 mt. Recent catches over the past five years have ranged from approximately 5,500 mt to 8,400 mt. Catch estimates prior to 1981 do not include commercial discards or estimates of recreational removals. Given the smaller mesh sizes and lower minimum retention sizes that existed pre-1977, commercial discards could have been substantial, particularly given the presence of several strong year classes in the 1970s. Since 1982, commercial landings have been the largest source of fishery removals, comprising 40-90 % of the total catch. Commercial discards constituted a large proportion of the catch between 1998 and 2003 when trip limits ranged from 30-500 lb/day (13.6 – 226.8 kg/day). Since 2006 commercial discards have accounted for <10 % of the total catch and <3 % of the catch since 2010. Major uncertainties in the commercial catch include the mis-allocation of commercial landings