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ICES fishery advice on widely distributed pelagic fish stocks for 2023
05. October 2022
Mackerel. Image Svanhildur Egilsdóttir.
On 30th September ICES released advices on fishing opportunities for Norwegian spring-spawning herring, North-East Atlantic mackerel and blue whiting for the year 2023.
Norwegian spring-spawning herring
ICES advises that when the long-term management strategy agreed by the coastal states is applied, the herring catches in 2023 should be no more than 511 tonnes. The current year's advice was 599 thousand tonnes, resulting in a 15% decrease in the advice for next year. The 2016 year class is expected to dominate the catches in 2023, and the subsequent year classes recruiting to the fishery are estimated to be weak. The estimated total catch for the year 2022 will be around 828 thousand tonnes, which is 28% higher than the advice. There is no agreement between the fishing nations for sharing of total allowable catch which has resulted in an overshoot of the ICES advice since 2013 by 4-42%.
North-East Atlantic mackerel
ICES advices that when the MSY approach is applied, mackerel catches in 2023 should be no more than 782 066 tonnes. The advice for the current year was 794 920 tonnes, hence the advice is approximately 2% lower for the next year. Estimated total catch for year 2022 is approximately 1.1 million tonnes which is 42% higher than the advice. No agreement is between fishing nations for sharing of total allowable catch and on average, catches have been 41% higher than advice since 2010.
Blue whiting
ICES advices that when the MSY approach is applied, blue whiting catches in 2023 should be no more than 1 359 629 tonnes. The advice for the current year was 752 736 tonnes, hence the advice is approximately 81% higher for the next year. Increase in advice is due to sharp increase in spawning stock size. The 2020 year class is estimated the largest on record at age 2 (year 2022) and it is also estimate three times larger in the 2022 assessment compared to the 2021 assessment. The 2020 year class will be fully recruited to the spawning stock in year 2023 and is forecasted to contribute to increasing spawning stock the next two years if the advice is followed. Estimated total catch for year 2022 is approximately 1.1 million tonnes which is 47% higher than the advice. No agreement is between fishing nations for sharing of total allowable catch and catches have exceeded advice by 23-33% since 2018.
