EU request to ICES on evaluation of the management plan for Iberian sardine

ICES advises that the harvest control rule (HCR) included in the long-term management plan for sardine in divisions 8.c and 9.a agreed between Portugal and Spain is not precautionary, in neither the short term or long term, based on the productivity regime observed since 1993. Consequently, the original request for an additional clause in the management plan when it resulted in catches of less than 50% of catches in the previous year is no longer considered relevant.