Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) on Flemish Cap Surveys 2014

A stratified random bottom trawl survey on Flemish Cap was carried out from June 25th to July 23th 2014. The area surveyed was extended up to depths of 800 fathoms (1450 meters) following the same procedures as in previous years. This year a total of 181 valid hauls were made by the vessel R/V Vizconde de Eza with the usual survey gear (Lofoten), 120 up to 730 meters depth. The surveyed area has properly prospected the 32 strata planned. The general indexes for shrimp were estimated taken into account the traditional swept area (strata 1-19, up to depths of 730 m.) and the total area surveyed (strata 1-34, up to depths of 1450 m.). As the last years the strata 26 and 27sited in the southeast of the bank with depths from 600 to 800 fathoms (1100-1400 m.) will not be surveyed due to the presence in the bottoms of great quantities of mud and sponges. The results concerning shrimp are presented and compared to those from previous years of the same series. The biomass and abundance in 2014 increased slightly since 2013 (7 % and 9% respectively), but remain between the lowest values recorded in the EU survey series. The youngest specimens (age 1 and age 2) were present in the catch but at very low level, and they were weakly presents in the small mesh size bag attached to the cod-end of the main gear, suggesting the absence of any strong year classes since 2003. This poor situation of the shrimp stock is associated, as in previous years with the good condition of the cod stock, which in 2014 recorded the maximum biomass value in the time series.Versión del edito