44 



Haddock Catch - Pounds per Day Fished Average 



When intensive foreign efforts began on Georges Bank in the 1960s, 

 there existed no assessment information whatsoever on many of the stocks 

 being sought. While such a lack of information had not appeared critical 

 during the 1950s--when only a few species were harvested on Georges Bank — 

 the sudden and spectacular inroads into the haddock stocks in 1965 and 

 1966 quickly placed demands on assessments that were nearly impossible to 

 meet. 



While it was recognized in 1966 that haddock had been decimated, it is 

 clear that even the assessment community was unprepared for the sudden 

 emergence of the crisis. In 1968, three years after the pulse fishing 

 effort on haddock, the ICNAF assessment committee (STACRES) were still 

 doubtful as to whether the failure of post-1963 year-classes was due to the 

 heavy fishing pressure or environmental conditions.^ ^ The following year 

 (1969) STACRES recommended "...no, or very little, fishing for a period of 

 not less than 4-5 years, and until a moderate to strong year-class has been 

 recruited and grown to maturity. "(55) 



It was not until 1970, five years after the haddock decimation, that 

 ICNAF established a quota for haddock. The quota was 12,000 tons, despite 



