Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE)

• Main Authors: Aldrin, M., Bal, Guillaume, Berge, B., Beukhof, Esther Deborah, Björnsson, H., Brunel, Thomas, Burns, Finlay, Campbell, Andrew, Campbell, Neill, Carrera, Pablo, Costas, Gersom, Dubroca, Laurent, Egan, Afra, Eliasen, S., Gonçalves, Patricia, Højnes, Åge, Homrum, Eydna í, Jacobsen, Jan Arge, Jansen, Teunis, Jensen, Gitte Høj, Krysov, Alexander, Lambert, G., Nash, Richard, Nøttestad, Leif, O´Hea , Brendan, Olafsdottir, Anna H., Orio, Alessandro, Óskarsson, Guðmundur J., Pastoors, Martin, Pronyuk, Alexander, Readdy, Lisa, Salthaug, Are, Sanchez, Sonia, Slotte, Aril, Sparrevohn, Claus Reedtz, Stenevik, Erling Kaare, Timoshenko , Nikolay, Ulleweit, Jens, Vasilye, Dmitry, Vatnehol, Sindre, Vinther, Morten
• Other Authors: Oskarsson, Gudmundur J.
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) 2019
• Subjects: /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water; SDG 14 - Life Below Water; North Atlantic; Northeast Atlantic
• Online Access: https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/0aa08588-7933-454e-9997-3c59dae5da78; https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.5574; https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/197550277/WGWIDE_Report_2019.pdf

The Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE) reports on the status and considerations for management of Northeast-Atlantic mackerel, blue whiting, Western and North Sea horse mackerel, Northeast-Atlantic boarfish, Norwegian spring-spawning herring, striped red mullet (Subareas 6, 8 and Divisions 7.a-c, e-k and 9.a), and red gurnard (Subareas 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) stocks. Northeast-Atlantic (NEA) Mackerel . This species is widely distributed throughout the ICES area and currently supports one of the most valuable European fisheries. Mackerel is fished by a variety of fleets from many countries (ranging from open boats using handlines on the Iberian coasts to large freezer trawlers and Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) vessels in the Northern Area). The assessment methodology was modified during the 2019 inter-benchmark process. The 2019 WGWIDE assessment was an update of the benchmarked assessment incorporating a new year for the catch information, for all surveys (egg survey, IESSNS survey and recruitment index) and for the RFID tagging recapture. After a strong increase from the late 2000s to 2014, the SSB has been declining since 2015, but remains at high levels (well above MSY Btrigger), The estimated fishing mortality has been steadily declining since the mid-2000s, and is now estimated to be close to FMSY. This decrease of the fishing mortality, while the stock has been sustaining high catches (consistently in excess to ICES advice) is explained by a succession of good recruitments, indicating a current high productivity for this stock. Blue Whiting. This pelagic gadoid is widely distributed in the eastern part of the North Atlantic. The assessment this year followed the Stock Annex based the conclusions from the Inter-Benchmark Protocol of Blue Whiting (IBPBLW 2016). The method for calculating mean weight at age for the preliminary (2019) was however changed, such that the observed values were used. Previously, a three year average was used. Most of the annual catches are taken in the first halfyear, ...