Report of the Working Group on the Assessment of Southern Shelf Demersal Stocks (WGSSDS), Sec 3

National landings data reported to ICES and as used by the Working Group are given in Table 3.3.1. Total international landings in 1998 as used by the Working Group were 644t, 4% below the TAC of 670 t, and 17% less than the landings of 779 t predicted last year based on status quo F. Revision of French national landings for 1997 resulted in a 20t decrease in total landings to 754t. Landings reached a high level above 1,400 t in 1982 and 1983, boosted initially by high recruitment in the late 1970s, followed by an increase in exploitation. Landings declined between 1988 and 1991, following the recruitment of 3 below-average year classes (1986-88); since 1991 they had been consistently around 700t.