ICES Advice 2006, Book 6 - The North Sea

6 NORTH SEA 1

6.1 Ecosystem Overview 1

6.1.1 Ecosystem Components 1

6.1.2 Major environmental influences on ecosystem dynamics 14

6.2 The human impacts on the ecosystem 14

6.2.1 Fishery effects on benthos and fish communities 14

6.3 Assessments and advice 17

6.3.1 Assessments and advice regarding protection of biota and habitats. 17

6.3.2 Assessment and advice regarding fisheries 17

6.3.3 Special requests 40

6.3.3.1 In-year advice on Norway pout 40

6.3.3.2 In-year advice on Sprat 46

6.3.3.3 Harvest control rules for North Sea haddock (Subarea IV and Division IIIa) 47

6.3.3.4 Answer to special request on sandeel 54

6.3.3.5 Norway pout 64

6.4 Stock summaries 70

6.4.1 Cod in the Kattegat 70

6.4.2 Cod in Subarea IV (North Sea), Division VIId (Eastern English Channel) and Division IIIa (Skagerrak) 78

6.4.3 Haddock in Subarea IV (North Sea) and Division IIIa (Skagerrak – Kattegat) 101

6.4.4 Whiting in Division IIIa (Skagerrak – Kattegat) 113

6.4.5 Whiting in Subarea IV (North Sea) and Division VIId (Eastern Channel) 116

6.4.6 Plaice in Division IIIa (Skagerrak – Kattegat) 127

6.4.7 Plaice in Subarea IV (North Sea) 133

6.4.8 Plaice in Division VIId (Eastern Channel) 145

6.4.9 Sole in Division IIIa 151

6.4.10 Sole in Subarea IV (North Sea) 156

6.4.11 Sole in Division VIId (Eastern Channel) 166

6.4.12 Saithe in Subarea IV (North Sea) Division IIIa (Skagerrak) and Subarea VI (West of Scotland and Rockall 175

6.4.13 Nephrops in Division IIIa (Skagerrak and Kattegat) and IV (North Sea) 185

6.4.14 Nephrops in Division IVa, Rectangles 44-48 E6-E7+44 E8 (Management Area F) 191

6.4.15 Nephrops in Division IVa west of 2ËšE, excluding Management Area F (Management Area G) 199

6.4.16 Nephrops in Division IVb,c, east of 1ËšE, excluding Rectangles 43 F5-F7 (Management Area H) 206

6.4.17 Herring in Subdivisions 22-24 and Division IIIa (spring spawners) 215

6.4.18 Herring in Subarea IV, Division VIId and Division IIIa (autumn spawners) 224

6.4.19 Sprat in Division IIIa 239

6.4.20 Sprat in the North Sea (Subarea IV) 242

6.4.21 North Sea horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) (Division IIIa (eastern part), Division IVb,c VIId) 249

6.4.22 Norway pout in Subarea IV (North Sea and Division IIIa (Skagerrak – Kattegat) 254

6.4.23 Sandeel in Division IIIa (Skagerrak – Kattegat) 262

6.4.24 Sandeel in Subarea IV 263

6.4.25 Sandeel in the Shetland area 275

6.4.26 Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) in Division IVa (Fladen Ground) 277

6.4.27 Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) in Division IIIa and Division IVa East (Skagerrak and Norwegian Deeps) 280

6.4.28 Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) in the Barents Sea, ICES Divisions I and II 286

6.4.29 Demersal elasmobranchs in the North Sea, Skagerrak, and eastern English Channel 292

6.4.30 Nephrops in Division IVb,c, west of 1ËšE (Management Area I) 297

6.4.31 Nephrops in Division IVa, east of 2Ëš+ Rectangles 43 F5-F7 (Management Area S) 307