ICES Advice 2005, Volume 5 - Celtic Sea and West of Scotland

1 CELTIC SEA AND WEST OF SCOTLAND 1

1.1 Ecosystem overview 1

1.1.1 Ecosystem components 1

1.1.2 Fishery effects on benthos and fish communities 5

1.1.3 Data gaps 6

1.1.4 References 6

1.2 The human use of the ecosystem 7

1.2.1 The fisheries and their impact 7

1.3 Assessments and advice 8

1.4 Stock summaries Celtic Sea and West of Scotland

1.4.1 Cod in Division VIIa (Irish Sea) 26

1.4.2 Cod in Divisions VIIe-k 34

1.4.3 Haddock in Division VIIa (Irish Sea) 41

1.4.4 Haddock in Divisions VIIb-k 46

1.4.5 Whiting in Division VIIa (Irish Sea) 50

1.4.6 Whiting in Divisions VIIe-k 56

1.4.7 Plaice in Division VIIa (Irish Sea) 65

1.4.8 Celtic Sea plaice (Divisions VIIf and g) 73

1.4.9 Plaice in Division VIIe (Western Channel) 83

1.4.10 Plaice Southwest of Ireland (Division VIIh-k) 92

1.4.11 Plaice West of Ireland (Division VIIb,c) 95

1.4.12 Sole in Division VIIa (Irish Sea) 97

1.4.13 Sole in Divisions VIIf and g (Celtic Sea) 102

1.4.14 Sole in Division VIIe (Western Channel) 113

1.4.15 Irish Sea herring (Division VIIa) 125

1.4.16 Celtic Sea and Division VIIj herring 129

1.4.17 Herring in Divisions VIa (South) and VIIb,c 135

1.4.18 Sprat in Divisions VIId,e 141

1.4.19 Megrim (L. whiffiagonis) in Divisions VIIc-k and VIIIa,b,d 144

1.4.20 Anglerfish in Divisions VIIb-k and VIIIa,b (L. piscatorius and L. budegassa) 151

1.4.21 Cod in Division VIa (West of Scotland) 164

1.4.22 Cod in Division VIb (Rockall) 170

1.4.23 Haddock in Division VIa (West of Scotland) 171

1.4.24 Haddock in Division VIb (Rockall) 180

1.4.25 Whiting in Division VIa (West of Scotland) 184

1.4.26 Whiting in Division VIb (Rockall) 190

1.4.27 Saithe in Subarea VI (West of Scotland and Rockall) (see Vol. 6, 1.4.12) 191

1.4.28 Megrim in Subarea VI (West of Scotland and Rockall) 192

1.4.29 Anglerfish in Division IIa (Norwegian Sea), Division IIIa (Kattegat and Skagerrak), Subarea IV (North Sea), and Subarea VI (West of Scotland and Rockall) (Lophius piscatorius and Lophius budegassa 196

1.4.30 Herring in Division VIa (North) 204

1.4.31 Clyde herring (Division VIa) 212

1.4.32 Norway pout in Division VIa (West of Scotland) 216

1.4.33 Sandeel in Division VIa 218

1.4.34 Sole Southwest of Ireland (Division VIIh-k) 220

1.4.35 Sole West of Ireland (Division VIIb, c) 223

1.4.36 Nephrops in Division VIa (Management Area C) 225

1.4.37 Nephrops in Division VIIa, North of 53ºN (Management Area J) 228

1.4.38 Nephrops in Divisions VIIb,c,k,j (Management Area L) 231

1.4.39 Nephrops in Divisions VIIf,g,h excluding Rectangles 31 E1, 32 E1 E2 + VIIa, South of 53ºN (Management Unit M) 238