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WGNSSK 2023_final.pdf (85.41 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_03 brill.pdf (3.57 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_04 cod.pdf (4.11 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_05 dab.pdf (2.75 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_06 flounder.pdf (1.59 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_07 grey gurnard.pdf (1.65 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_08 haddock.pdf (5.57 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_09 lemon sole.pdf (4.29 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_10 nephrops 3.pdf (2.52 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_11 nephrops 4.pdf (7.91 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_12 norway pout.pdf (4.05 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_13 plaice 4.pdf (3.46 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_14 plaice 7d.pdf (4.34 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_15 pollack.pdf (1012.62 kB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_16 saithe.pdf (4.58 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_17 sole 4.pdf (7.01 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_18 sole 7d.pdf (6.27 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_19 mur.pdf (3.14 MB)
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WGNSSK 2023_final update_20 turbot 3a.pdf (1.28 MB)
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Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak (WGNSSK)

report
posted on 2024-01-25, 08:07 authored by ICESICES

Section 4 on North Sea cod stocks was added September 2023.

Section 12 on Norway pout was added October 2023.

Sections 10 and 11 on Nephrops, Annex 10, and other corrections were added December 2023.

[note: executive summary abridged]

The summary of stock status is as follows:

Category 1:

  • Cod (cod.27.46a7d20): Spawning-stock biomass of the Northwestern substock has been fluctuating above MSY Btrigger for most of the time-series and is well above it in 2023. Spawning-stock biomass of the Viking substock has been fluctuating between MSY Btrigger and Blim for most of the time-series and is just below MSY Btrigger in 2023. Spawning-stock biomass of the Southern substock has been fluctuating around MSY Btrigger for most of the time-series until 2016 and has been below Blim since 2017. Fishing pressure has been high throughout the time-series but decreased sharply from 2018 and is currently above FMSY for all three substocks. Recruitment has been low for all three substocks, with the lowest recruitment in the Southern substock.
  • Haddock (had.27.46a20): Spawning-stock biomass has been low since the mid of the 2000s but has increased sharply since 2019 and is now well above MSY Btrigger, Bpa and Blim. Fishing pressure has declined since the beginning of the 2000s, but it has been above FMSY for most of the entire time-series. Since 2021, fishing pressure has been below FMSY. Recruitment (age 0) since 2000 has been low with occasional larger year classes. The last four year classes have all been above the recent mean.
  • Nephrops FU 3–4 (nep.fu.3-4): Fishing pressure is slowly increasing from 2017–2022, but is still below FMSY. Stock size is decreasing over that period. No reference point for stock size has been defined for this stock..
  • Nephrops FU 6 (nep.fu.6): Fishing pressure has been fluctuating above FMSY (with the exception of 2008). Stock size was below MSY Btrigger in 2009, 2010 and from 2012–2016, but is above this reference point in the most recent years.
  • Nephrops FU 7 (nep.fu.7): Over the last seven years, fishing pressure is well below FMSY and stock size is well above MSY Btrigger.
  • Nephrops FU 8 (nep.fu.8): Stock size has been above MSY Btrigger for the entire time-series, while fishing pressure has been fluctuating around FMSY. In 2022, fishing pressure is below FMSY.
  • Nephrops FU 9 (nep.fu.9): Fishing pressure has been fluctuating around FMSY, and is below the reference point in 2022. Stock size was estimated to be largely above MSY Btrigger, and this was also the case in 2022.
  • Norway pout (nop.27.3a4): Spawning-stock biomass has been fluctuating over the time-series, with periods of higher biomass in the 1990s and late 2000s, as well as in the late 2010s. In the most recent years, SSB decreased, but is still above Bpa and Blim. No reference points for fishing pressure or for MSY Btrigger have been defined for this stock.
  • Plaice (ple.27.420): The spawning-stock biomass is well-above MSY Btrigger and has markedly increased since 2008, following a substantial reduction in fishing pressure since 1999. Currently, fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY. After a strong recruitment (age 1) in 2019, the recruitment in 2020 and 2021 is estimated to be on an average level. Recruitment in 2022 is the second highest in the time-series.
  • Plaice (ple.27.7d): The spawning-stock biomass has increased rapidly from 2010 following a period of higher recruitment between 2009 and 2019. However, since 2016, SSB has declined and is now at a level just above Blim. Higher fishing pressure from 2015 onwards and lower recruitment from 2020 onwards contributed to this decrease in SSB. Fishing pressure on the stock is currently situated between FMSY and Fpa. Recruitment (age 1) in 2020 is estimated to be the lowest value in the time-series. The 2021 recruitment was slightly higher. The lack of the UK-BTS survey in Division 7.d in 2022 resulted in high uncertainty for the 2022 recruitment estimate.
  • Saithe (pok.27.3a46): Spawning-stock biomass has mostly decreased since the early 2000s and is currently above MSY Btrigger, Bpa and Blim. Fishing pressure has decreased and stabilized above FMSY since 2000. Currently, fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY. Recruitment (age 3) has shown an overall decreasing trend over time but slightly increasing in 2022.
  • Sole (sol.27.4): The spawning-stock biomass has fluctuated around Blim since 1996. Currently, SSB is estimated to be between Blim and MSY Btrigger ( = Bpa). Fishing pressure has been fluctuating above Flim for a large part of the time-series. In 2022, it declined to levels below FMSY. Recruitment (age 1) in the most recent years has been lower than the long-term average.
  • Sole (sol.27.7d): The spawning-stock biomass has decreased since 2014 and is estimated to be fluctuating around Blim since 2017. Currently, SSB is estimated to be between Blim and MSY Btrigger (= Bpa). Fishing pressure has decreased since 2007 and is currently estimated around FMSY. Recruitment (age 1) is estimated to be on a relatively low level since 2012 and the 2022 recruitment is the lowest of the time-series.
  • Turbot (tur.27.4): The spawning-stock biomass has increased since 2005 and has been above MSY Btrigger since 2013. Currently, spawning stock size is above MSY Btrigger, Bpa and Blim. Fishing pressure has decreased since the mid-1990s, and has been around FMSY since 2012. Currently, fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY. Recruitment is variable without a trend. In 2021, recruitment (age 1) is estimated to be the lowest of the time-series.
  • Whiting (whg.27.47d): Spawning-stock biomass has increased substantially in recent years and is now well above MSY Btrigger, Bpa and Blim. Fishing pressure has been below FMSY since the early 2000s. Currently, fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY. Recruitment (age 0) has been fluctuating without trend, but the 2019 and 2020 year classes are estimated to be the largest since 2002.
  • Witch (wit.27.3a47d): Spawning-stock biomass is now just above Blim but below MSY Btrigger and Bpa. Fishing pressure has been above FMSY since the beginning of the time-series. Currently, fishing pressure on the stock is above FMSY but below Fpa and Flim. Recruitment (age 1) has increased since 2016.

Category 2:

  • Brill (bll.27.3a47de): Catches declined sharply in recent years. The relative exploitable biomass (B/BMSY) has been above reference point since the beginning of the time-series. Relative fishing pressure (F/FMSY) has decreased since 2000 and is currently below FMSY.
  • Turbot (tur.27.3a): Catches peaked in the late 1970s and early 1990s and have been more stable in recent years. The relative exploitable biomass (B/BMSY) has been above reference point since the beginning of the time-series. Relative fishing pressure (F/FMSY) peaked in the late 1970s and early 1990s, and has been relatively low without a trend in more recent years. Currently, fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY.

Category 3:

  • Dab (dab.27.3a4): rollover advice.
  • Flounder (fle.27.3a4): The stock size indicator has been fluctuating below Itrigger for the past six years. Currently, fishing pressure on the stock is below the FMSY proxy.
  • Grey gurnard (gug.27.3a47d): rollover advice.
  • Lemon sole (lem.27.3a47d): The stock size indicator has decreased since 2016, but is still above Itrigger. Currently, fishing pressure on the stock is below the FMSY proxy.
  • Striped red mullet (mur.27.3a47d): The stock size indicator is well-above the Itrigger. Currently the fishing pressure on the stock is above the FMSY proxy.
  • Whiting (whg.27.3a): rollover advice.

Category 4:

  • Nephrops FU 32 (nep.fu.32): rollover advice.
  • Nephrops FU 33 (nep.fu.33): rollover advice.
  • Nephrops FU 34 (nep.fu.34): rollover advice.
  • Nephrops FU 10 (nep.fu.10): rollover advice.

Category 5:

  • Nephrops FU 5 (nep.fu.5): rollover advice.
  • Nephrops out of FU (nep.27.4outFU): rollover advice.
  • Pollack (pol.27.3a4): rollover advice.

History

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

  • ACOM
  • FRSG

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

WGNSSK

Series

ICES Scientific Reports

Volume

5

Issue

39

Contributors (Editors)

Alessandro Orio; Lies Vansteenbrugge

Contributors (Authors)

Jurgen Batsleer; Alan Baudron; Chun Chen; Harriet Cole; José A. A. De Oliveira; Côme Denechaud; Raphaël Girardin; Ghassen Halouani; Holger Haslob; Espen Johnsen; Alexander Neil Holdgate; Nis Sand Jacobsen; Alexander Kempf; Alexandros Kokkalis; Tiago Veiga Maltal; Eleni Melis; Carlos Mesquita; Tanja Miethe; Iago Mosqueira; Nikolai Nawri; Coby Needle; J. Rasmus Nielsen; Alessandro Orio; Yves Reecht; Jon Egil Skjæraasen; Guldborg Søvik; Andreas Sundelöf; Klaas Sys; Marc Taylor; Justin Tiano; Lies Vansteenbrugge; Damian Villagra Villanueva; Bella Voak; Kathrin Vossen; Nicola Walker; Fabian Zimmermann

ISSN

2618-1371

Recommended citation

ICES. 2023. Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak (WGNSSK). ICES Scientific Reports. 5:39. 1547 pp. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.22643143

Publication language

  • en

File format(s)

  • PDF

Pages

1536

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