Four-spot megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii) in divisions 8.c and 9.a (southern Bay of Biscay and Atlantic Iberian waters East)

ICES advises that when the EU multiannual plan (MAP) for Western Waters and adjacent waters is applied, catches in 2023 that correspond to the F ranges in the MAP are between 1595 tonnes and 3421 tonnes. According to the MAP, catches higher than those corresponding to FMSY (2282 tonnes) can only be taken under conditions specified in the MAP, while the entire range is considered precautionary when applying the ICES advice rule.

Management of catches of the two megrim species—megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) and four-spot megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii)—under a combined species TAC prevents effective control of the single-species exploitation rates and could lead to the overexploitation of either species.