NAFO’s advice for 2018 is for a 105,000 tonne shrimp fishery off West Greenland, while the recommendation for East Greenland shrimp remains unchanged at 2000 tonnes.
NAFO’s recommendations have been passed to Naalakkersuisut, which will make a final determination on the quota for shrimp fishery in Greenland.
The West Greenland advice is 17 % higher than in 2017, where the recommendation was 90,000 tonnes. The higher catch advice is based on the fact that the northern shrimp stock continues to show growth in both biological studies and data from the shrimp fishery, as well as in model calculations.
The scientists’ calculations for the end of 2017 show that the northern shrimp stock off West Greenland is at a sustainable level. The size of the shrimp stock is above the threshold that the stock size must have to ensure a sustainable yield.
The stock status is assessed based on catches of the shrimp fishery, estimated size of shrimp biomass based on biological studies, catch per unit of effort in the shrimp fishery, plus estimates of predicted cod predation. Based on these factors, NAFO recommended a 105.000 tonne catch level.
As the East Greenlandic shrimp stock remains at a low level, in spite of several years of low exploitation rates, the advice remains unchanged.
