Working Group on Cephalopod Fisheries and Life History (WGCEPH; Outputs from 2022 meeting)

WGCEPH worked on six Terms of Reference. These involved reporting on the status of stocks; reviewing advances in stock identification, assessment for fisheries management and for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), including some exploratory stock assessments; reviewing impacts of human activities on cephalopods; developing identification guides and recommendations for fishery data collection; describing the value chain and evaluating market drivers; and reviewing advances in research on environmental tolerance of cephalopods.

ToR A is supported by an annual data call for fishery and survey data. During 2019–2021, compared to 1990–2020, cuttlefish remained the most important cephalopod group in terms of weight landed along the European North Atlantic coast, while loliginid squid overtook octopus as the second most important group. Short-finned squid remained the least important group in landings although their relative importance was almost double in 2019–2022 compared to 1992–2020. Total cephalopod landings have been fairly stable since 1992. 

Cuttlefish landings are towards the low end of the recent range, part of a general downward trend since 2004. Loliginid squid landings in 2019 were close to the maximum seen during the last 20 years but totals for 2020 and 2021 were lower. Annual ommastrephid squid landings are more variable than those of the other two groups and close to the maximum seen during 1992–2021. Octopod landings have generally declined since 2002 but the amount landed in 2021 was higher than in the previous four years.

Under ToR B we illustrate that the combination of genetic analysis and statolith shape analysis is a promising method to provide some stock structure information for L. forbsii. With the summary of cephalopod assessments, we could illustrate that many cephalopod species could already be included into the MSFD. We further provide material from two reviews in preparation, covering stock assessment methods and challenges faced for cephalopod fisheries management. Finally, we summarise trends in abundance indices, noting evidence of recent declines in cuttlefish and some octopuses of the genus Eledone.

Under ToR C, we describe progress on the reviews of (i) anthropogenic impacts on cephalopods and (ii) life history and ecology. In relation to life history, new information on Eledone cirrhosa from Portugal is included.

Under ToR D we provide an update on identification guides, discuss best practice in fishery data collection in relation to maturity determination and sampling intensity for fishery monitoring. Among others, we recommend i) to include the sampling of cephalopods in any fishery that (a) targets cephalopods, (b) targets both cephalopods and demersal fishes or (c) takes cephalopods as an important bycatch, ii) Size-distribution sampling, iii) the use of standardized sampling protocols, iv) an increased sampling effort in cephalopod. 

Work under ToR E on value chains and market drivers, in conjunction with the Cephs & Chefs INTERREG project, has resulted in two papers being submitted. Abstracts of these are in the report.

Finally, progress under ToR F on environmental tolerance limits of cephalopods and climate envelope models is discussed, noting the need to continue this work during the next cycle.