| Summary: | This document updates some of the indices for northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) harvested within NAFO Divisions 3M. The assessment for this resource was completed, within Scientific Council during autumn 2010. Scientific Council recommended that the fishing mortality for 2011 and 2012 be set as close to zero as possible. Now, the low indices of biomass estimated in the 2011 EU summer survey, where the stock size was well below Blim proxy, confirm the depletion of the stock after several years of downward trend, even though the levels of exploitation have been low since 2005 and close to zero in 2011, due to the moratoria initiated in the present year. The catch table (1993-2010) and biomass estimates (EU survey summer 1988-2011) are updated within this report. Data indicate that 1766 t of shrimp was taken in 2010 when the effort was reduced by 50% well below comparing to 5374 t taken in 2009 without reduction on the effort. In the 2011 EU survey the 3M total and female biomass index were 1644 t and 1231 t respectively. These indexes were around 66% lower than last year and the lowest values in the EU survey series. As previous years, the sharp decline of shrimp biomass in Flemish Cap was associated with a strong increase of the cod stock. This unfavorable situation confirms the recommendation carried out within Scientific Council during autumn 2010.
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