The cod stock in NAFO Division 3M is in moratorium since 2000. The low catches collected since then make difficult to apply a VPA based assessment to evaluate the current stock status. Hereby, a survey-based assessment method was used to evaluate the present status in a stochastic way; a method that takes into account uncertainties in survey sampling as well as in catchability estimates. The results show that the spawning stock biomass is at the lowest observed level of the survey’s series (1988 to 2003) and all its stochastic estimates are under Blim. Current abundance at age of pre-mature year-classes are also at very low levels and, consequently, a recovery of the stock is not expected in a sort or medium term.

10 páginas, 8 tablas, 2 figuras.-- Scientific Council Meeting

Peer reviewed