2015 stock assessment of scallop in Quebec inshore waters

Commercial catches per unit effort (CPUEs) in the last three years were below the 1992-2012 average and in the last two years were among the lowest in the historical series. [...] According to the analysis of observed scallop range and densities, the part of the bed located in Area 23 is an extension of the bed located in Area 20A. [...] The main Iceland Scallop beds exploited are located along the North Shore, Anticosti Island and along the north shore of the Gaspe Peninsula (Figure 2), whereas the exploited Sea Scallop beds are located mostly in the southern Gulf, including the Magdalen Islands, Chaleur Bay, and occasionally, along the Lower North Shore. [...] CPUEs in the last three years were below the 1992-2012 average, and in the last two years were among the lowest in the historical series (Table 2). [...] The increase in average weight recorded in 2015 reflects the resumption of harvesting operations in bed Q. The 2014 research survey indicated that the density of commercial-size scallops remained low and was the second lowest density value in the historical series (Figure 7).