Iceland request on evaluation of harvest control rules for a management plan for Icelandic summer-spawning herring (Division 5.a)

ICES advises that the three candidate harvest control rules are considered precautionary under the assumption that the Ichthyophonus infection mortality will be at similar levels as, or lower than, in the last 15 years. HCRs 2 and 3 are consistent with the ICES MSY approach, resulting in catches equal to 97.3% and 100% of MSY, 34% and 24% larger SSB and a 14% and 23% lower harvest rate respectively. HCR 1 is not consistent with the ICES MSY approach, resulting in catches equal to 93% of MSY but with 18% larger SSB and 21% less harvest rate.