On Including Golden Redfish (Sebastes marinus) into the Calculations to Estimate Redfish Stocks on the Flemish Cap

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: golden redfish
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.537.5695; http://archive.nafo.int/open/sc/2006/scr06-004.pdf

The paper presents data on distribution and biology of Sebastes marinus, S. mentella and S. fasciatus from fishing catches on the Flemish Cap in 2005. Biological data were collected by the observers being aboard Russian fishing vessels in October-November 2005. Fishing was executed at 200-400 m depths. Fishing gears were bottom trawls with the mesh size of not less than 130 mm. According to the preliminary dat a, in 2005, on the Flemish Cap, the catch of redfish species by Russian vessels was equal to 1 016 tons. Golden redfish (S. marinus) prevailed (more than 50%) in catch. The results of bathymetric distribution researches showed that, at 200-299 m depths, S. marinus made up the bulk of catches. With the increase in fishing depth the portion of beaked redfish species (S. mentella and S. fasciatus) which amounted to 95.6 % at 400-499 m depths rose. In according to the results from the trawl surveys by EU, mean long-term biomass of S. marinus equaled to 20 % of the total redfish stock. Increase or decrease in the total stock of redfish species was mainly connect ed with golden redfish stock growth and reduction. At present, on the Flemish Cap the overall stock size is estimated and recommendations for their exploitation are developed based on fishing and biological dat a on two speci es – S. mentella and S. fasciatus. To obtain more comprehensive and correct data on redfish stock, golden redfish S. marinus should be included into the calculations.