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Working Group on Southern Horse Mackerel, Anchovy and Sardine (WGHANSA)

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posted on 2024-01-25, 07:59 authored by ICESICES

The ICES Working Group on Southern horse mackerel, anchovy and sardine (WGHANSA) assessed the status of anchovy in Atlantic Iberian waters (ane.27.9a; western and southern components) and horse mackerel in Atlantic Iberian waters (hom.27.9a) in the May meeting. The status of anchovy in Bay of Biscay (ane.27.8), sardine in southern Celtic Seas and the English Channel (pil.27.7), sardine in Bay of Biscay (pil.27.8abd), sardine in Cantabrian Sea and Atlantic Iberian waters (pil.27.8c9a) and jack mackerel in Subdivision 10.a.2 (Azores grounds) (jaa.27.10a2) was assessed in the November meeting. 

The stock of anchovy in Bay of Biscay (ane.27.8) has been above Blim since the reopening of the fishery in 2010. SSB in 2022 has been estimated as the third highest of the historical series. Recruitment (age 1 biomass at the beginning of the year) in 2023 is estimated above the average of the time-series. Harvest rates (catch/SSB) have been stable in the last years.

The stock of anchovy in Atlantic Iberian waters (ane.27.9a) is composed by the western component (distributed in areas 9.a North, Central–North, and Central–South) and the southern component (distributed in area 9.a South). The advice is provided for the two components separately for the management calendar from July to June next year. For the western component, the index ratio (1-over-2 rule) based on the PELACUS and PELAGO surveys shows an 83% increase of the stock in 2022 compared with the mean of the two previous years, and the 80% uncertainty cap is applied. For the southern component, the relative SSB from an analytical assessment conducted with GADGET is used as the index of stock size development. The index ratio (1-over-2 rule) indicates that the relative SSB in 2022 is 71% lower than in the two previous years. Given that in 2022 the stock component size is below Blim, a biomass safeguard has been considered.

In the last years sardine in the Bay of Biscay (pil.27.8abd) shows a decreasing trend in SSB. In 2022 spawning-stock biomass is estimated below MSY Btrigger, Bpa and above Blim. Since 2013 the fishing mortality has been oscillating above FMSY and Fpa, and below Flim. 

The advice for sardine in southern Celtic Seas and the English Channel (pil.27.7) is based on the PELTIC survey biomass index in the total area. Due to technical reasons, this year the coverage of the survey was incomplete and an estimate of the biomass in the total area was obtained by raising the estimate from the area covered in 2022 to the total area based on historical proportions. The index ratio indicates an increase of 20% in 2022 compared with the two previous years. 

The biomass (age 1+) of sardine in Atlantic Iberian waters (pil.27.8c9a) in 2022 is estimated to be above MSY Btrigger, Bpa and Blim for the third consecutive year. Fishing mortality in 2021 is slightly above FMSY but is among the lowest of the time-series. ICES advice is based on the ICES MSY advice rule. However, the catch options explored for 2023 include several harvest control rules that were assessed by ICES as precautionary. 

The SSB of horse mackerel in Atlantic Iberian waters (hom.27.9a) fluctuated from 1992 (the beginning of the assessment) to 2013 and afterwards has increased continuously to historical maximum values in 2022. In 2022 SSB is estimated at 1 155 488 tonnes, well above MSY Btrigger, Bpa, and Blim.  Fishing mortality has been below FMSY over the whole time-series, with a decreasing trend in the last years. Since 2018, recruitment is considered very uncertain due to the lack of the survey index in 2019 and 2020. 

The jack mackerel in Subdivision 10.a.2 (Azores grounds) (jaa.10.a2) is classified in category 5 and advice is provided biannually. The stock and exploitation status relative to MSY and precautionary approach (PA) reference points cannot be assessed. Given that there is no ancillary information clearly indicating that the current level of exploitation is appropriate for the stock, the 20% precautionary buffer was applied to provide advice for 2023 and 2024.  

History

Published under the auspices of the following ICES Steering Group or Committee

  • FRSG

Published under the auspices of the following ICES Expert Group or Strategic Initiative

WGHANSA

Series

ICES Scientific Reports

Volume

4

Issue

51

Contributors (Editors)

Leire Ibaibarriaga

Contributors (Authors)

Leire Citores Martinez; Gersom Costas; Erwan Duhamel; Susana Garrido; Leire Ibaibarriaga; Hugo Mendes ; David Miller; Richard Nash; Maxime Olmos; Rosana Ourens; Lionel Pawlowski; Alfonso Pérez; Fernando Ramos; Dália Reis; Joseph Ribeiro; Margarita Rincón Hidalgo; Isabel Riveiro; Maria Santos; Andrés Uriarte; Laura Wise.

ISSN

2618-1371

Recommended citation

ICES. 2022. Working Group on Southern Horse Mackerel, Anchovy and Sardine (WGHANSA). ICES Scientific Reports. 4:51. 518 pp. http://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.19982720

Publication language

  • en

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  • PDF

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