An update of the fishery for short-finned squid (Illex illecebrosus) in the Newfoundland Area during 2000 with descriptions of some biological characteristics

• Main Authors: Dawe, E. G., Beck, P. C., Drew, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization 2001
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53167/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53167/1/3947.pdf

Subarea 3 landings totalled only 310 t in 2000, representing a slight increase from 19 t in 1999 and representing the third consecutive year of very low abundance, with landings of less than 1000 t. Landings in 2000 were exclusively from the inshore Newfoundland jig fishery in Div. 3KL and primarily during September-October. Samples acquired from the commercial fishery at two inshore localities indicated that mean mantle lengths for both sexes were much smaller than in 1998 and were generally comparable with the smallest observed since 1976, for comparable time periods. Coincident with such small size, male sexual maturation was less advanced than in previous years. Small mean length at Newfoudland in 2000 was consistent with small mean weights observed in 2000 from surveys during July on the Scotian Shelf and during autumn on the northeast USA Shelf. Such small size is believed to reflect a low proportion of squid from late spawning.