ICES Advice 2007, Book 3 - The Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea

3 THE BARENTS SEA AND THE NORWEGIAN SEA 1

3.1 Ecosystem overview 1

3.1.1 Ecosystem components 1

3.1.2 Major significant ecological events and trends 10

3.2 Human impacts on the ecosystem 12

3.2.1 Fishery effects on benthos and fish communities 12

3.2.2 References 13

3.3 Assessments and advice 15

3.3.1 Assessments and advice regarding protection of biota and habitats. 15

3.3.2 Assessments and advice regarding fisheries 15

3.3.3 Special requests 20

3.3.3.1 Norwegian request for advice on NEA Saithe Management Objectives 20

3.3.3.2 NEAFC request to provide detailed description of the newly developed pelagic fishery for Sebastes mentella in the Norwegian Sea as well as the traditional fishery on the slopes, especially with regard to temporal and spatial distribution 24

3.4 Stock summaries 30

3.4.1 Northeast Arctic cod 30

3.4.2 Norwegian coastal cod (Subareas I and II) 41

3.4.3 Northeast Arctic haddock (Subareas I and II) 47

3.4.4 Northeast Arctic saithe (Subareas I and II) 56

3.4.5 Redfish (Sebastes mentella) in Subareas I and II 66

3.4.6 Redfish (Sebastes marinus) in Subareas I and II 77

3.4.7 Greenland halibut in Subareas I and II 85

3.4.8 Barents Sea capelin (Subareas I and II, excluding Division IIa west of 5°W) 93

3.4.9 Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) in the Barents Sea, ICES Divisions I and II 98