THE MYSTERY OF CRAB ASSESSMENT RESULTS CONTINUES

This afternoon, harvesters and FFAW staff met with DFO in another effort to get answers and understand results from the crab assessment. This meeting was a follow-up to those that took place last week. Simply put, the trend in the trap and trawl surveys in 3K and 3LNO are similar, yet once those indices are put in the new integrated model, the biomass estimate goes down in 3K and goes up in 3LNO.

3K harvesters are concerned that the deep quota cuts are not justified, while 3L harvesters are looking for reassurance that the stock can sustain quota increases. Crab is our most valuable fishery, it’s what pays the bills for most harvesters, and we need to have confidence in the results of the assessment.

The department is saying the data and model have all been checked, but we still have questions. And we will keep asking questions until the results make sense to harvesters.

We have asked for the following information:
The biomass estimates for all assessment divisions from 2020-2024 using the new integrated model and also calculated the way it has been done prior to this year.
Information on any new inputs or variables that are in the integrated assessment that were not in previous exploitable biomass estimates.
Identification of which variables, inputs or calculations that are driving the direction of the biomass estimates in 3K and 3LNO.

DFO has committed to respond to our requests for information with answers by the end of this week.

Present at the meeting: Glen Newbury (3K inshore), Chad Payne (3K offshore), Richard Gillett (3K offshore), Rod Rowe (3K offshore), Chad Waterman (3L inshore), Jason Sullivan (3L inshore), Nelson Bussey (3L offshore), Erin Carruthers (FFAW Fisheries Scientist), Sherry Glynn (FFAW Inshore Director)