Yellowtail flounder, redfish (Sebastes spp) and witch flounder indices from the Spanish Survey conducted in Divisions 3NO of the NAFO Regulatory Area.

• Main Authors: González-Troncoso, D. (Diana), Paz, X. (Xabier)
• Other Authors: Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo 2014
• Subjects: Northwest Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/2474

Since 1995, Spain carries out a spring stratified random bottom trawl survey in Div. 3NO of the NAFO Regulatory Area. Total mean catches, biomass and mean numbers for yellowtail flounder (Limanda ferruginea) are presented for the period 1995-2013, for redfish (Sebastes spp) for the period 1997-2013 and for witch flounder (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) for the period 2002-2013. Detailed indices are presented from 2009. Yellowtail flounder does not show a clear trend since 1998; its indices are almost constant throughout this period, with a slight increase in the last five years. Redfish indices oscillate greatly over time, probably because the gear does not sample adequately aggregating pelagic species. There was a sharp increase in 2009, being more or less stable since then at a high level, comprising the 3N around the 90% of the total biomass in last years. Good year classes have not been registered recently. Witch flounder is very scarce and also lacks a clear trend in the data series, being the values always poor. Recruitment was quite good at the beginning of the series but very poor in recent years.