Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak (WGNSSK) ...

• Main Author: ICES
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: ICES Scientific Reports 2023
• Subjects: Fisheries and aquaculture; Greater North Sea ICES Ecoregion; Norway; Turbot
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.22643143.v3; https://ices-library.figshare.com/articles/report/Working_Group_on_the_Assessment_of_Demersal_Stocks_in_the_North_Sea_and_Skagerrak_WGNSSK_/22643143/3

Section 4 on North Sea cod stocks was added September 2023. Section 12 on Norway pout is available as a stand-alone chapter (added 9 October 2023); will be merged into report (together with Nephrops sections) by 31 October 2023. The main impression in recent years is that fishing pressure has been reduced substantially for many North Sea stocks of roundfish and flatfish compared to the beginning of the century. Five stocks with agreed reference points (Category 1 stocks) have SSB higher than MSY B trigger (haddock in 4, 6.a, and 20; plaice in 4 and 20; saithe in 3.a, 4, and 6; turbot in 4; whiting in 4 and 7.d), while the SSB of sole in 4, sole in 7.d, plaice in 7.d, and witch in 3.a, 4, and 7.d is just above B lim . Northern shelf cod (cod in 4, 6a, 7d, and 20) has one substock (Northwestern) with SSB above MSY B trigger , one substock (Viking) between MSY B trigger and B lim and one substock (Southern) below B lim . Several North Sea stocks are exploited at or below F MSY levels (haddock in 4, 6.a, and 20; ...