Report of Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE).

• Main Authors: Campbell, A. (Andrew), Brunel, T. (Thomas), Campbell, N. (Neil), Carrera, P. (Pablo), Catarino, R. (Rui), Chetyrkin, Anatoly, Costas, G. (Gersom), Dubroca, L. (Laurent), Duncan, Roxanne, Eliasen, Sólva, Gonçalves, P. (Patricia), Åge Højnes, Hølleland, Sondre, Eydna Í Homrum, Jacobsen, J.A. (Jan Arge), Jansen, T. (Teunis), Krysov, A. (Alexander), Bernhard Kühn, Lambert, Gwladys, Libungan. Lisa Anne, Miller, D. (David), Nash, Richard, Nøttestad, L. (Leif), Olafsdottir, Anna H., Orio, A. (Alessandro), Pastoors, M.A. (Martin A.)
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo 2020
• Subjects: Northeast Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/14317; https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.7475

As a consequence of the impact of the COVID pandemic on international travel which prevented the traditional meeting from taking place, the Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE) met online via WebEx hosted by ICES. Prior to the 2020 meeting, the generic ToRs for species and regional working groups were re-prioritised by ACOM to allow the WG to focus primarily on those ToRs most applicable to the provision of advice. 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 springspawning 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 stock is highly migratory and widely distributed throughout the Northeast Atlantic with significant fisheries is most ICES subareas. A diverse range of fleets from smaller artisanal, handline vessels to large (100m+) factory freezer vessels and modern RSW trawlers and purse seiners take part in what is one of the most valuable European fisheries. The assessment conducted in 2020 is an update assessment, based on the configuration agreed during the most recent inter-benchmark exercise in 2019 and incorporates the most recent data available from sampling of the commercial catch in 2019, the final 2019 egg survey SSB estimate, an updated recruitment index and tagging time series along with 2020 survey data from the IESSNS swept area survey. Advice is given based on stock reference points which were updated during a management strategy evaluation carried out in 2020. Following a strong increase from 2007 to 2014, SSB has been declining although it remains well above MSY Btrigger. Fishing mortality has been below FMSY since 2016. There have been a number of large year classes since 2001 with above average recruitment over much of the most recent decade. Blue Whiting. This pelagic gadoid is widely distributed in the eastern ...