ACOM0409.pdf (28.65Mb)

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ICES

ADVISORY

C

OMMITTEE

ICES CM 2009\ACOM:04

Report of the North Western Working Group (NWWG)

29 April - 5 May 2009

ICES Headquarters, Copenhagen

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International Council for the Exploration of the Sea Conseil International pour l’Exploration de la Mer

H. C. Andersens Boulevard 44–46 DK-1553 Copenhagen V

Denmark

Telephone (+45) 33 38 67 00 Telefax (+45) 33 93 42 15 www.ices.dk

[email protected]

Recommended format for purposes of citation:

ICES. 2009. Report of the North Western Working Group (NWWG), 29 April - 5 May 2009, ICES Headquarters, Copenhagen. Diane Lindemann. 22 pp.

For permission to reproduce material from this publication, please apply to the Gen- eral Secretary.

The document is a report of an Expert Group under the auspices of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and does not necessarily represent the views of the Council.

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Contents

Executive summary ... 1

1 Introduction ... 7

1.1 Terms of Reference (ToR) ... 7

1.1.1 Specific ToR ... 7

1.1.2 Generic ToRs for Regional and Species Working Groups ... 7

1.2 NWWG 2009 work in relation to the ToR ... 8

1.3 Assessment methods applied to NWWG stocks ... 9

1.4 InterCatch ... 9

1.5 NWWG Draft of Advice Summary Sheets ... 10

1.6 Recommendations ... 10

2 Demersal Stocks in the Faroe Area (Division Vb and Subdivision IIa4) ... 11

2.1 Overview... 11

2.1.1 Fisheries... 11

2.1.2 Fisheries and management measures ... 12

2.1.3 The marine environment ... 14

2.1.4 Catchability analysis ... 15

2.1.5 Summary of the 2009 assessment of Faroe Plateau cod, haddock and saithe ... 16

2.1.6 Reference points for Faroese stocks and evaluation of the Faroese management system... 17

2.1.7 Faroe saithe ... 17

2.1.8 Review of the management system ... 17

2.1.9 References: ... 17

3 Faroe Bank Cod ... 26

3.1 State of the stock - historical and compared to what is now. ... 26

3.2 Comparison with previous assessment and forecast ... 27

3.3 Management plans and evaluations (Could just be a reference to the year when the plan was agreed/evaluated. Include proposed/agreed management plan.) ... 27

3.4 Management considerations (what do managers need to consider when managing this stock.) ... 27

3.5 Regulations and their effects (Include new regulations (e.g. gear restrictions, TAC etc). Focus on effects of regulations.) ... 27

3.6 Changes in fishing technology and fishing patterns ... 28

3.7 Changes in the environment ... 28

4 Faroe Plateau cod ... 37

4.1 Stock description and management units ... 37

4.2 Scientific data ... 37

4.3 Information from the fishing industry ... 39

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4.4 Methods ... 39

4.5 Reference points ... 39

4.6 State of the stock - historical and compared to what is now ... 39

4.7 Short term forecast ... 40

4.8 Long term forecast ... 41

4.9 Uncertainties in assessment and forecast ... 41

4.11 Management plans and evaluations ... 41

4.12 Management considerations ... 41

4.13 Ecosystem considerations ... 43

4.14 Regulations and their effects ... 43

4.17 References ... 43

5 Faroe haddock ... 82

5.2.1 Trends in landings and fisheries ... 82

5.2.2 Catch-at-age ... 83

5.2.3 Weight-at-age ... 83

5.2.4 Maturity-at-age ... 83

5.4 Methods ... 84

5.4.1 Tuning and estimates of fishing mortality ... 84

5.6 State of the stock - historical and compared to what is now. ... 85

5.7.1 Input data ... 86

5.7.2 Results ... 86

5.8 Medium term forecasts and yield per recruit ... 86

6 Faroe Saithe ... 139

6.1 Stock description and management units. ... 139

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6.2.1 Trends in landings and fisheries ... 139

6.2.2 Catch at age ... 140

6.2.3 Weight at age ... 140

6.2.4 Maturity at age ... 140

6.2.5 Indices of stock size ... 140

6.4 Methods ... 141

6.5.1 Biological reference points ... 142

6.6 State of the stock – historical and compared to what is now ... 143

6.7.1 Input data ... 143

6.7.2 Projection of catch and biomass ... 143

6.8 Medium term forecasts and yield per recruit ... 144

6.8.1 Input data to yield per recruit ... 144

6.9.1 Assessment quality ... 144

6.17 Response to technical minutes ... 146

7 Overview on ecosystem, fisheries and their management in Icelandic waters ... 179

7.1 Environmental and ecosystem information ... 179

7.2 Environmental drivers of productivity ... 181

7.3 Ecosystem considerations (General) ... 181

7.4 Description of fisheries [Fleets] ... 182

7.5 Regulations ... 183

7.5.1 The ITQ system ... 184

7.5.2 Mesh size regulations ... 184

7.5.3 Area closures ... 184

7.5.4 Discards ... 185

7.6 Mixed fisheries, capacity and effort ... 185

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8 Saithe in Icelandic waters ... 202

8.1 Summary ... 202

8.2 Fisheries dependent data ... 202

8.2.1 Landings, advice and TAC ... 202

8.2.2 Landings by age ... 203

8.2.3 Mean Weight and maturity at age ... 204

8.2.4 Log book data ... 204

8.3 Scientific surveys ... 204

8.4 Assessment methods ... 205

8.6 State of the stock ... 208

9 Icelandic cod ... 231

9.2.1 Catch: Landings, discards and misreporting ... 232

9.2.2 Landings and weight by age ... 233

9.2.3 Surveys ... 233

9.4 Methods ... 234

9.5 Reference points THIS WILL BE EXPANDED ... 237

9.8 Medium term forecasts ... 238

10 Icelandic haddock ... 271

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10.2.1Landings ... 271

10.2.2Landings by age ... 271

10.2.3Surveys ... 272

10.2.4Mean Weight and maturity at age ... 272

10.4 Methods ... 273

10.8 Medium term forecasts ... 276

10.10Comparison with previous assessment and forecast ... 277

10.11Management plans and evaluations ... 277

10.12Management considerations ... 277

10.13Ecosystem considerations ... 278

10.14Regulations and their effects ... 278

10.15Changes in fishing technology and fishing patterns ... 278

10.16Changes in the environment. ... 278

11 Icelandic summer spawning herring ... 313

11.2.1Fleets and fishing grounds ... 315

11.2.2Catch in numbers, weight at age and maturity ... 316

11.3 Analytical assessment ... 317

11.3.1Analysis of input data ... 317

11.3.2Exploration of different assessment models ... 318

11.3.3Final assessment ... 319

11.6.1The input data ... 320

11.6.2Prognosis results ... 321

11.7 Medium term predictions ... 321

11.8.1Assessment ... 321

11.8.2Forecast... 322

11.8.3Assessment quality ... 322

11.11Management consideration ... 323

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11.15Comments on the PA reference points ... 324

11.16Comments on the assessment ... 324

11.17References ... 325

12 Capelin in the Iceland-East Greenland-Jan Mayen area ... 352

12.4 Methods ... 355

12.8 (Medium term forecasts) ... 356

12.12Management considerations ... 357

12.16Changes in the environment ... 358

13 Overview on ecosystem, fisheries and their management in Greenland waters. ... 375

13.2 Description of the fisheries ... 377

13.2.1Inshore fleets; ... 377

13.2.2Offshore fleets ... 378

13.3 Overview of resources ... 378

13.3.1Shrimp ... 378

13.3.2Snow crab ... 378

13.3.3Scallops ... 379

13.3.4Squids ... 379

13.3.5Cod ... 379

13.3.6Redfish ... 379

13.3.7Greenland halibut ... 379

13.3.8Lump sucker ... 379

13.3.9Capelin ... 379

13.4 Advice on demersal fisheries ... 380

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14 Cod Stocks in the Greenland Area (NAFO Area 1 and ICES

Subdivision XIVB) ... 381

14.1 Stock definition ... 381

14.2 Information from the fisheries ... 381

14.2.1The emergence and collapse of the Greenland cod fisheries ... 381

14.2.2The Fishery in 2008 ... 381

14.2.3Length and age distributions, catch in weight at age in 2008 ... 382

14.2.4Information on spawning ... 382

14.3 Surveys ... 383

14.3.1Results of the German groundfish survey off West and East Greenland... 383

14.3.2Results of the 2008 Greenland surveys in West Greenland ... 383

14.3.3Results of the 2008 Greenland surveys in East Greenland ... 383

14.3.4West Greenland young cod survey ... 383

14.3.5State of the stock ... 383

14.4 Implemented management measures for 2009 ... 383

14.5 Management considerations. ... 383

15 Greenland Halibut in Subareas V, VI, XII, and XIV ... 424

15.1 Executive summary ... 424

15.2 Landings, Fisheries, Fleet and Stock Perception ... 425

15.3 Trends in Effort and CPUE ... 426

15.4 Catch composition ... 427

15.5 Survey information ... 428

15.6 Stock Assessment ... 428

15.6.1Summary of the various observation data ... 428

15.6.2A model based assessment ... 429

15.6.3Precautionary reference points ... 433

15.7 Management Considerations ... 434

15.8 Data consideration ... 434

15.8.1Assessment quality ... 435

15.9 Communication with RG, ACOM ... 435

16 Redfish in Subareas V, VI, XII and XIV ... 475

16.1 Environmental and ecosystem information ... 476

16.2 Environmental drivers of productivity ... 476

16.2.1Abundance and distribution of 0-group and juvenile redfish ... 476

16.3 Ecosystem considerations (General) ... 477

16.4 Description of fisheries ... 477

16.5 Demersal S. mentella in Vb, VI, and XIV ... 478

16.5.1Demersal S. mentella in Vb ... 478

16.5.2Demersal S. mentella in VI ... 478

16.5.3Dermsal S. mentella in XIV ... 478

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16.6 Regulations (TAC, effort control, area closure, mesh size etc.) ... 479

16.6.1Discards and by-catches ... 479

16.7 Mixed fisheries, capacity and effort ... 480

16.8 Special comment by Sergey Melnikov ... 480

17 Golden redfish (Sebastes marinus) in Subareas V, VI and XIV ... 496

Summary ... 496

17.2.1Division Va ... 496

17.2.2Division Vb ... 497

17.2.3Subarea XIV – not updated ... 497

17.3.1Landings ... 498

17.3.2Discard ... 498

17.3.3Biological data from the commercial fishery ... 499

17.3.4Landings by length and age ... 499

17.3.5CPUE ... 499

17.4 Methods ... 500

17.4.1Results ... 501

17.8 Medium term forecast ... 503

17.11Management plans and evaluation ... 505

17.12Management consideration ... 505

17.13Ecosystem consideration ... 506

17.14Regulation and their effects ... 506

17.16 Changes in the environment ... 507

18 Icelandic slope Sebastes mentella in Va and XIV ... 530

Executive summary ... 530

18.3.1Landings ... 531

18.3.2Fisheries and fleets ... 531

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18.3.3Sampling from the commercial fishery ... 531

18.3.4Length distribution from the commercial catch ... 531

18.3.5Catch per unit effort ... 532

18.4 Methods ... 532

19 Shallow Pelagic and Deep Pelagic Sebastes mentella ... 544

19.2 Splitting the catches between shallow pelagic and deep pelagic S. mentella ... 544

19.3 Shallow pelagic S. mentella ... 545

19.3.1Biological sampling from the fishery ... 545

19.3.2Summary of the development of the fishery ... 545

19.3.3Biological information ... 546

19.3.4Discards ... 546

19.3.5Illegal Unregulated and Unreported Fishing (IUU)... 546

19.3.6Surveys ... 547

19.3.7Methods ... 548

19.3.8Reference points ... 548

19.3.10 Short term forecast ... 548

19.3.11 Uncertainties in assessment and forecast ... 548

19.3.12 Comparison with previous assessment and forecast ... 549

19.3.13 Management considerations ... 549

19.3.14 Ecosystem considerations ... 549

19.3.15 Changes in the environment ... 549

19.4 Deep pelagic S. mentella ... 550

19.4.1Biological sampling from the fishery ... 550

19.4.2Summary of the development of the fishery ... 550

19.4.3Biological information ... 551

19.4.4Discards ... 551

19.4.5Illegal Unregulated and Unreported Fishing (IUU)... 551

19.4.6Surveys ... 552

19.4.7Methods ... 552

19.4.8Reference points ... 553

19.4.10 Short term forecast ... 553

19.4.11 Uncertainties in assessment and forecast ... 553

19.4.12 Comparison with previous assessment and forecast ... 553

19.4.13 Management considerations ... 553

19.4.14 Ecosystem considerations ... 554

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Annex 1 – List of Participants... 575 Annex 2 -Technical Minutes of a review of the ICES North Western

Working Group (NWWG) Report 2009 (by correspondence) ... 577 Annex 3 – Stock Annexes ... 602 Annex 4 Recommendations ... 655

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Executive summary

Demersal stocks in the Faroe Area (Division Vb and Subdivision IIa4) Faroe Bank Cod

Landings of Faroe Bank cod amounted to 219 tonnes in 2008, which is the lowest re- corded since 1992. Results from the summer and spring surveys indicate that the stock is currently well below its average level and there is no indication of strong year classes from the surveys. Exploitation The exploitation ratio has sharply decreased since 2006. In 2008 it is estimated to levels comparable to those in the 1990’s for both survey indices.

Faroe Plateau cod

The assessment settings and input data were the same as in the 2008 assessment.

Based on an XSA fishing mortality in 2008 (average of ages 3-7 years) was estimated at 0.76, which was considerably higher than the precautionary fishing mortality of 0.35 and also higher than the limit fishing mortality of 0.68. The total stock size (age 2+) in the beginning of 2008 was estimated at 25 000 tonnes and the spawning stock biomass at 19 000 tonnes, which was slightly below the limit biomass of 21 000 tonnes. The estimates of stock size were amongst the lowest during the 1906-2008 period.

The short term prediction until year 2011 showed a situation with a stock size of around 31 000 tonnes and a spawning stock biomass of around 19 000 tonnes.

Managers should realize the poor state of the stock. Of importance, especially the recruitment seems to be positively correlated with the total stock size of cod. It is, therefore, urgent to reduce the fishing mortality so that the stock increases. This could be achieved by extending area-closures, preferably for all fishing.

Faroe haddock

Being an update assessment, the only changes compared to last year are additions of new data from 2008 and some minor revisions of the landings data for 2006 and 2007 with corresponding revisions of the in line with those from 2008, showing a declining SSB mainly due to poor recruitment. SSB is now estimated just below B^pa and is predicted to be close to B^lim in 2010 and 2011 with status quo fishing mortality. Fishing mortality in 2008 is estimated at 0.22 (Fpa = 0.25) and landings in 2008 were only 7 500t. In recent years there has been a tendency to overestimate SSB and underestimate F.

Faroe Saithe

The most recent benchmark assessment was completed in 2005. Since 2006 assessments have been rejected because of a retrospective pattern believed to be due to decreased size at age. As size at age has not increased markedly, the retrospective pattern, which underestimates stock size and overestimates fishing mortality, is expected to continue to exist.

The working group concludes that the XSA assessment is useful to indicate stock trends, although the values themselves may be questionable.

Recent year classes are probably underestimated because of changes in catchability (q) due to slower growth, and fishing mortality is probably overestimated. The Faroe saithe total biomass is estimated to be above average in 2008, whereas the spawning stock biomass is estimated below average for the whole time series back to 1961.

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Biological reference points for this stock need revision. This will hopefully be accom- plished at a scheduled benchmark assessment in 2010.

Demersal stocks in Icelandic waters (Division Va) Icelandic saithe

The assessment is a SALY (Same As Last Year) using the same input data with addition of one year and the same model with the same parameter settings as last year. The assessment results are very much in line with that of last year.

The stock size (B4+ and SSB) is around the long term average but fishing mortality is high in most recent year. Relatively strong recruitment is now being replaced by much lower average recruitment. A SALY advice, based on the short term prediction provided would imply very harsh measures if the stock is to be maintained above Bpa, following the advisory year.

The major issue in the development of the saithe stock, are low mean weight at age for most ages in recent years and recent changes in fishing pattern, with increasing mortality on younger fish. In addition weight at age of the older age groups, in the early part of the time series seem to be abnormally high. If they are artificially high, the dynamic range of historical SSB is much narrower than what has been used in past assessments. All the above points have implications with regards to the appropriateness of using the current reference points as the basis of the advice.

The scheduled benchmark assessment in 2010 will explore both assessment inputs and reference points. However, for next years advice the WG suggests interim reference F values to be used as the basis of the advice. The approach used is similar as has been done for Icelandic haddock, in part due to similar issues.

Icelandic cod

The total reported landings in 2008 were 147 kt. Total landings in the last 4 fishing year have been relatively close to the set TAC for the Icelandic fleet. The TAC for the current fishing year is set to 160 kt.

Mean weight at age in landings have been declining in the last 6-7 years and are in 2008 about 9 to 12 % (20 % for the small 2001 year class) below the long term average in age groups 4 to 9. Weights at age in the spring survey have also been declining over the same period and are generally very low in the 2009 survey.

Abundance indices by age from the spring and the fall surveys show that the year classes from 2001 onward are on average smaller than the ones from 1997 to 2000.

The first measurement of the 2008 year class indicates that it may be above average.

That year class will however not contribute significantly to the fisheries until 2013.

Based on the statistical Catch at Age Model (ADCAM), fishing mortality in 2007 is now 0.52 compared with 0.55 estimated last year. The SSB in 2008 is now estimated to have been 253 kt compared with 230 kt estimate last year. Half of this difference is caused by inclusion of the Iceland-Faeroe ridge in the survey area. The retrospective pattern of recruitment estimates in recent years, both historical and analytical, indicates a minor but constantly downward revision of year classes 2002 and younger.

Since these revisions are on pre-recruits that have not entered the fishery they have minor effect on the estimates of the post-recruit metrics.

The spawning stock has been relatively small in the last 40 year compared with the time before that. It reached a historical low in 1993 (120 kt) but has since then increased and is estimated to be about 220 kt at present. Fishing mortality has declined

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significantly in recent years, the present estimate of about 0.4 not seen since the early 1960’s. Year classes from 2001 to 2007 are estimated to be below the long-term average. First measurement of the 2008 year class indicates that it may above medium size or even larger. The low recruitment in recent years in addition to very low mean weight at age means that the productivity of the stock at present is very low.

Icelandic haddock

The assessment is a SALY (Same As Last Year) using the same input data with addition of one year and the same model with the same parameter settings as last year. Year-classes that are entering the fishable stock are much smaller than those disappearing so the stock is rapidly decreasing. Growth of haddock has been very slow in recent years leading to late recruitment of incoming year classes to the fishery. In this situation same age based fishing mortality means higher fishing effort than earlier. This has led to too high effort towards haddock compared to cod causing problems in mixed fisheries. The group proposes lowering the target F from 0.47 to 0.35 to keep target effort comparable to what 0.47 led to earlier.

Based on an Adapt type model tuned with both spring and autumn surveys SSB is estimated to decrease from a high since 2004 and fishing mortality has been maintained at approx 0.5 which is above Fpa. (0.47).

The main problem in current assessment is prediction of mean weight at age in the stock that is used to predict selection at age. There is still no indication of improved growth in spite of smaller year-classes.

Short term predictions show that both stock size and landings will decrease rapidly in coming years when the large year classes disappear.

Icelandic summer spawning herring

The total reported landings in 2008/09 were 152 kt, the recommended TAC was 130 kt, while the TAC was 150 kt. Around 137 kt of the catch was taken in a relatively small area in Breidafjörður, in W Iceland, similar to the preceding fishing season.

In November 2008, the herring stock was found to be seriously infected by Ichthyo- phonus. Around 32.2% of the fishing stock, as estimated in the January survey 2009, will die in the winter/spring 2009 because of the infections, which corresponds to Min- fection=0.39.

Based on the SALY approach, the NFT-Adapt, the biomass of age 3+ is 628 kt and SSB is 542 kt in the beginning of year 2009. Accounting for the observed Ichthyo- phonus infection (32.2%) in that period gives estimates of surviving fish, or 426 kt of age 3+ and SSB of 367 kt. Fishing at F^0.1= 0.22 in the fishing season 2009/10 will give at catch of 75 kt, where 17% derives from the 1999 year class. This prediction is under the premises that no further Ichthyophonus infection occurs, which is considered unlikely because similar outbreaks in other herring stocks often last for two years.

This will be verified in a survey in July 2009.

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Capelin in the Iceland-East Greenland-Jan Mayen area

In 2008 no starting quota was issued due to the 2007 year class being very low. There was no official fishery because the acoustic measurements prior to the spawning gave only SSB of 320 000 t. The only catch was 15 000 t that was allocated to scouting vessels in February 2009. The stock has been at low levels the last 4 years. Only very low abundance of 1 year old capelin was measured in November- December 2008.

The advice is therefore not to open the fishery in the season 2009/10 until acoustic assessment surveys have verified that a catch can be allowed with the usual prerequisite of a remaining spawning stock of 400 000 t in March 2010 after accounting for the natural mortality.

Demersal stocks in Greenland waters Cod stocks in Greenland

The two survey abundance indices both indicate that the Greenland cod stock is presently significantly above the very depressed state that was experienced in the 1990's. The stock is however well below historical levels. Some of the increase may be due to inflow of recruits (2003 year-class) from Iceland. Off East Greenland a small offshore spawning stock has been building up in the most recent years and spawning has been inferred since 2004. Both surveys indicate that all year classes since 2002 are larger than any of the year class since the 1985 year class. The increase is mainly at- tributed to occurrence of the 2003 year class that show the characteristic usually asso- ciated with Year classes of Icelandic origin. This year-class is estimated at approx.

25% of the size of the very large 1984 year class.

A multi-annual management plan should be developed to ensure that the quotas are sat at low levels until a substantial increase in biomass and recruitment is evident in the Greenland cod stocks. The management plan may incorporate the knowledge on the stock structure, inter alia, by differentiating management objectives and regulatory measures for the inshore and offshore stock components.

Greenland halibut

Input data to the Greenland halibut assessment this year is unchanged from recent years. As in 2008 a logistic production model in a Bayesian framework was used to assess stock status and for making predictions.

Estimated stock biomass showed an overall decline throughout most of the time series. Since 2004 the stock has been stable at relative low levels well below BMSY and fishing mortality exceeds the value that maximizes yield (F^MSY). Stock biomass is estimated at 0.4B^MSY, and the projected risk of exceeding this reference point will be relatively high at any catch level. Maintaining catches of 20 kt will result in a further decline of the stock and a high probability of being above F^MSY. Setting TAC at 5kt will likely result in an increase in stock biomass (0.7B^MSYover a decade) and F is projected to decrease to below 0.5F^MSY.

At present no formal agreement on the management of the Greenland halibut exists among the three coastal states, Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. The regulation schemes of those states have in the recent past resulted in catches of about 25 kt compared to the recent advice by ICES of 5 kt. A basis for the advice is therefore an adaptive management plan that is coordinated among the three coastal states.

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Redfish in Subareas V, VI, XII and XIV

Redfish are found in the entire North Atlantic and contribute important fishery resources around Iceland, the Faroe Islands, off Greenland and in the Irminger Sea. The management does not separate the two most important species, Sebastes marinus and S. mentella. In early 2009 the stock structure of S. mentella, which is found on demer- sal grounds and in the pelagic zone, was reviewed by WKREDS and based on their review advice is now given separately for S. marinus, demersal S. mentella on the Ice- landic slope, shallow pelagic S. mentella and deep pelagic S. mentella. Adult S.mentella on the Greenland continental slopes likely belongs to more of the newly identified stocks and are only tabulated with respect to catches in the introductory chapter on redfish. The issue of stock structure within the S.mentella stocks was requested by NEAFC, and in ICES response to NEAFC request (as of March 2009) a complete description of the re-interpreted stock structure can be found.

Golden redfish (S. marinus)

Total landings in 2008 were about 45,000 t, about 5,000 t more than in 2007. About 99% of the catches were taken in Division Va.

The basis for advice and the relative state of the stock is based on projection derived from the analytical GADGET model and survey index series. The approach is unchanged from last year. Catch-at-age data from Va shows that the catch is dominated by two strong year classes from 1985 and 1990. It is expected that the 1990 year class will be important in the catches in the next few years, but the 1985 year class is disappearing.

Survey indices of the fishable stock in Va have decreased in recent years but increased in 2008 and is now in the vicinity of safe biological limits (Bpa). The fishable stock situation in Subarea Vb remains at a low level, but has improved in Subarea XIV. Recruitment in Va has been low since 1993 compared to the big 1985- and 1990 year-classes, but there is an indication of strong new year classes observed as 9-11 years old fish in the October survey in 2008. There are signs of improved recruitment in XIV as well.

The assessment predicts that catches in Va below 30 000 t would provide a fishable stock size above current biomass level for the next 5 year.

Demersal S.mentella on Icelandic slopes

Total landings of demersal S. mentella in Icelandic waters in 2008 were about 25 500 t, about 8 500 t more than in 2007.

No formal assessment was conducted and there are no biological reference points for the species. Survey indices are used as basis for advice. Available survey biomass indices show that in Division Va the biomass has been low but stable in the last 6 years. In recent years, good recruitment has been observed on the East-Greenland shelf which is assumed to contribute to the three stocks at unknown shares.

Deep Pelagic S.mentella

The WG was not able to evaluate the state of the stock. Based on a scheduled acoustic-trawl survey in June 2009, an assessment and advice will be provided in the autumn 2009.

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Shallow Pelagic S.mentella

The WG was not able to evaluate the state of the stock. Based on a scheduled acoustic-trawl survey in June 2009, an assessment and advice will be provided in the autumn 2009.

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1 Introduction

1.1 Terms of Reference (ToR) 1.1.1 Specific ToR

2008/2/ACOM04 The North-Western Working Group [NWWG] (Chair: Jesper Boje, Denmark) will meet at ICES Headquarters, 29 April – 5 May 2009 to:

a ) address generic ToRs for Fish Stock Assessment Working Groups (see table below).

The assessments will be carried out on the basis of the stock annex in National Labo- ratories, prior to the meeting. This will be coordinated as indicated in the table below.

NWWG will report by 11 May 2009 for the attention of ACOM.

FishStock Stock Name Stock Co-

ord. Assess.

Coord. 1 Assess.

Coord. 2 Advice cod-farp Cod in Subdivision Vb2 (Faroe Bank) Faroe Is- Faroe Is- Faroe Advice cod-farb Cod in Subdivision Vb2 (Faroe Bank) Faroe Is- Faroe Is- Faroe Same

had-faro Haddock in Division Vb Faroe Is- Faroe Is- Faroe Advice

sai-faro Saithe in Division Vb Faroe Is- Faroe Is- Faroe Advice

cod-iceg Cod in Division Va (Icelandic cod) Iceland Iceland Iceland Advice had-iceg Haddock in Division Va (Icelandic haddock) Iceland Iceland Iceland Advice sai-icel Saithe in Division Va (Icelandic saithe) Iceland Iceland Iceland Advice her-vasu Herring in Division Va (Icelandic summer- Iceland Iceland Iceland Advice cap-icel Capelin in Subareas V, XIV and Division IIa

Iceland Iceland Iceland Advice ghl-grn Greenland halibut in Subareas V, VI, XII and Greenland Greenland Iceland Advice smr-5614 Redfish (Sebastes marinus) in Subareas V, VI, XII Iceland Iceland Faroe Advice smn-con Redfish (Sebastes mentella) on the continental

Iceland Iceland Germany Advice smn-ocn Redfish (Sebastes mentella) in Subareas V, VI,

Germany Iceland Spain Advice cod-ewgr Cod in ICES Subarea XIV and NAFO Subarea 1 Greenland Germany Germany Advice

1.1.2 Generic ToRs for Regional and Species Working Groups The working group should focus on:

ToRs a) to g) for stocks that will have advice,

ToRs b) to d) and f) for stocks with same advice as last year.

ToRs b) to c) and f) for stocks with no advice.

a ) Produce a first draft of the advice on the fish stocks and fisheries under considerations and the regional overview according to ACOM guidelines.

b ) Update, quality check and report relevant data for the working group:

i ) Load fisheries data on effort and catches (landings, discards, bycatch, including estimates of misreporting when appropriate) in the IN- TERCATCH database by fisheries/fleets;

ii ) Abundance survey results;

iii ) Environmental drivers.

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iv ) Propose specific actions to be taken to improve the quality of the data (including improvements in data collection).

c ) Produce an overview of the sampling activities on a national basis based on the INTERCATCH database);

d ) In cooperation with the Secretariat, update the description of major regulatory changes (technical measures, TACs, effort control and management plans) and comment on the potential effects of such changes including the effects of newly agreed management and recovery plans.

e ) For each stock update the assessment by applying the agreed assessment method (analytical, forecast or trends indicators) as described in the stock annex. If no stock annex is available this should be prepared prior to the meeting.

f ) Produce a brief report of the work carried out by the Working Group.

This report should summarise for the stocks and fisheries where the item is relevant:

i ) Input data (including information from the fishing industry and NGO that is pertinent to the assessments and projections);

ii ) Where misreporting of catches is significant, provide qualitative and where possible quantitative information and describe the methods used to obtain the information;

iii ) Stock status and 2010 catch options;

iv ) Historical performance of the assessment and brief description of quality issues with the assessment;

v ) Mixed fisheries overview and considerations;

vi ) Species interaction effects and ecosystem drivers;

vii ) Ecosystem effects of fisheries;

viii ) Effects of regulatory changes on the assessment or projections;

g ) Where appropriate, check for the need to reopen the advice in autumn based on the new survey information and the guidelines in AGCREFA 1.2 NWWG 2009 work in relation to the ToR

The ToR where not addressed systematically for all the stocks. The following points highlight the WG response to these ToR.

As follows of section 1.4, no data was uploaded to the ICES INTERCATCH database.

The updates of the stock annexes were only completed for some stocks. Due to limited time available some annexes were left at a status almost of last year. As has been pointed by the ICES secretariat, the updating of the annexes is most efficiently an inter-sessional task, but this task was not fulfilled by stock/assessment coordina- tors. It is, however, the perception of the WG that fulfilling this task is a continuous process along with change of objectives by ICES.

Due to the number of tasks that is put on WGs (Generic ToRs and bookkeeping) together with the reduced number of days allocated for the meeting, the NWWG had no time to ensure the quality of the report. Although an internal review system is se- tup in NWWG, the priority was put on the adoption of assessments that were basis for stock status and the premises for the forecasts. This procedure was to ensure that the basis for a proper advice was agreed upon. Further, the time allocated for advice

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draft (approx 2 days) reduced the number days for assessments and other business to 4-5 days.

Although a system on update and benchmark assessments has been established by ICES, arrival of new data always give rise to discussions on whether to change options for an assessment or await a benchmark assessment. For example, parasite infestations in Icelandic herring gave rise to a high mortality and question was how these infestations is expected to develop within the short time frame. It was decided to await a parasite survey in July 2009 and to implement the measured infestation rates (mortality) into a forecast that will be released after July.

S. mentella redfish stock structure was reviewed by ICES WKREDS in the early 2009 and resulted in a revised view of the stock structure. This new structure has been implemented in this report, but due to the fact that most of the data input to especially the pelagic stocks needed to be split and re-interpreted, combined with data compila- tion from a number of nations, these sections appears in a preliminary state with re- gard to conclusive statements of state of the stock. For the same reason, both pelagic stocks are provisionally put under same section (section 19), but sub-sectioned by stock. The advice for the pelagic stocks are awaiting an acoustic-trawl survey to be conducted in June/July 2009, and it is anticipated that final advice will be available in the autumn prior to the annual NEAFC meeting.

1.3 Assessment methods applied to NWWG stocks

The methods applied to assess the stock status of the NWWG stocks covers a wide range from descriptive to age based analytical assessments as follows:

Stock ASSESSMENT model input*

Faroe Bank cod Descriptive survey

Faroe Haddock XSA survey

Faroe Saithe XSA CPUE

Faroe Plateau cod XSA survey

Iceland Saithe ADCAM (statistical catch at age) survey Iceland cod ADCAM (statistical catch at age) survey

Iceland haddock Adapt type model survey

Iceland herring NFT-Adapt survey

Capelin Acoustics (absolute biomass) survey

Greenland cod Descriptive survey

Greenland halibut Stock production model (Bayesian) survey+ CPUE S. marinus GADGET (age-length based cohort model) survey

S. mentella Iceland slope Descriptive survey

Deep pelagic S. mentella Descriptive survey+CPUE

Shallow pelagic S. mentella Descriptive survey+CPUE

* landings or landings by age are input to all assessments 1.4 InterCatch

Henrik Kjems-Nielsen from the ICES secretariat gave a presentation of the status of InterCatch (IC). Presently, the age-based assessments in the WG do not use IC. This

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is mainly due to the fact that most stocks in the WG, where advice is based on age- based analytical assessments, are national stocks where data are compiled at the national lab, i.e. only national fleets and surveys contribute to the assessment input.

However, it is the aim that data from the gadoid stocks at Iceland and Faroe Islands will be uploaded at IC within 2009/2010.

1.5 NWWG Draft of Advice Summary Sheets

The WG used more effort this year than previously to improve and finalise the summary advice sheets. The group spent three days drafting and going through the draft advice sheets in plenary. The WG therefore appreciates any feed-back from the ADG in form of minutes that reflect justification for major changes in the advice sheet compared to the suggestion by the WG.

1.6 Recommendations

The WG experienced a number of problematic issues related to survey stratification and likely stock distribution. The character of the problems differed slightly by stock but it was recognised that a common multinational effort on this is needed to improve the quality and use of surveys as stock indicators. A survey workshop is therefore suggested to take place in 2010 within the framework of ICES as provided in the recommendation in Annex 04.

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2 Demersal Stocks in the Faroe Area (Division Vb and Subdivision IIa4)

2.1 Overview 2.1.1 Fisheries

The main fisheries in Faroese waters are mixed-species, demersal fisheries and single- species, pelagic fisheries. The demersal fisheries are mainly conducted by Faroese fishermen, whereas the major part of the pelagic fisheries are conducted by foreign fishermen licensed through bilateral and multilateral fisheries agreements.

Pelagic Fisheries. Three main species of pelagic fish are fished in Faroese waters: blue whiting, herring and mackerel; several nations participate. The Faroese pelagic fisheries are almost exclusively conducted by purse seiners and larger purse seiners also equipped for pelagic trawling. The pelagic fishery by Russian vessels is conducted by large factory trawlers. Other countries use purse seiners and factory trawlers.

Demersal Fisheries. Although they are conducted by a variety of vessels, the demersal fisheries can be grouped into fleets of vessels operating in a similar manner. Some vessels change between longlining, jigging and trawling, and they therefore can appear in different fleets. The following describes the Faroese fleets first followed by the fleets of foreign nations. The number of licenses can be found in Table 2.1.3.

Open boats. These vessels are below 5 GRT. They use longline and to some extent automatic, jigging engines and operate mainly on a day-to-day basis, targeting cod, haddock and to a lesser degree saithe. A majority of open boats participating in the fisheries are operated by part-time fishermen.

Smaller vessels using hook and line. This category includes all the smaller vessels, between 5 and 110 GRT operating mainly on a day-to-day basis, although the larger vessels behave almost like the larger longliners above 110 GRT with automatic baiting systems and longer trips. The area fished is mainly nearshore, using longline and to some extent automatic, jigging engines. The target species are cod and haddock.

Longliners > 110 GRT. This group refers to vessels with automatic baiting systems.

The main species fished are cod, haddock, ling and tusk. The target species at any one time is dependent on season, availability and market price. In general, they fish mainly for cod and haddock from autumn to spring and for ling and tusk during the summer. The spatial distribution is concentrated mainly around the areas closed to trawling (Figure 2.1.2). On average 92% of their catch is taken within the permanent exclusion zone for trawlers. During summer they also make a few trips to Icelandic waters.

Otter board trawlers < 500 HP. This refers to smaller fishing vessels with engine powers up to 500 Hp. The main areas fished are on the banks outside the areas closed for trawling. They mainly target cod and haddock. Some of the vessels are licensed during the summer to fish within the twelve nautical miles territorial fishing limit, targeting lemon sole and plaice.

Otter board trawlers 500-1000 HP. These vessels fish mainly for cod and haddock.

They fish primarily in the deeper parts of the Faroe Plateau and the banks to the southwest of the islands.

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Otter board trawlers >1000 HP. This group, also called the deep-water trawlers, target several deep-water fish species, especially redfish, blue ling, Greenland halibut, grenadier and black scabbard fish. Saithe is also a target species and in recent years they have been allocated individual quotas for cod and haddock on the Faroe Plateau. The distribution of hauls by this fleet in 2000-2005 is shown in Figure 2.1.1.

Pair trawlers <1000 HP. These vessels fish mainly for saithe, however, they also have a significant by-catch of cod and haddock. The main areas fished are the deeper parts of the Faroe Plateau and the banks to the southwest of the islands.

Pair trawlers >1000 HP. This category targets mainly saithe, but their by-catch of cod and haddock is important to their profit margin. In addition, some of these vessels during the summers have special licenses to fish in deep water for greater silver smelt. The areas fished by these vessels are the deeper parts of the Faroe Plateau and the banks to the southwest of the islands (Figure 2.1.1).

Gill netting vessels. This category refers to vessels fishing mainly Greenland halibut and monkfish. They operate in deep waters off the Faroe Plateau, Faroe Bank, Bill Bailey’s Bank, Lousy Bank and the Faroe-Iceland Ridge. This fishery is regulated by the number of licensed vessels (8) and technical measures like depth and gear specifi- cations.

Jiggers. Consist of a mixed group of smaller and larger vessels using automatic jigging equipment. The target species are saithe and cod. Depending on availability, weather and season, these vessels operate throughout the entire Faroese region. Most of them can change to longlines.

Foreign longliners. These are mainly Norwegian vessels of the same type as the Fa- roese longliners larger than 110 GRT. They target mainly ling and tusk with by- catches of cod, haddock and blue ling. Norway has a bilateral fishery agreement with the Faroes for a total quota of these species while the number of vessels can vary from year to year.

Foreign trawlers

2.1.2 Fisheries and management measures

. These are mainly otter board trawlers of the same type as the Fa- roese otter board trawlers larger than 1 000 HP. Participating nations are United Kingdom, France, Germany and Greenland. The smaller vessels, mainly from the United Kingdom and Greenland, target cod, haddock and saithe, whereas the larger vessels, mainly French and German trawlers, target saithe and deep-see species like redfish, blue ling, grenadier and black scabbardfish. As for the foreign longliners, the different nations have in their bilateral fishery agreement with the Faroes a total quota of these species while the number of vessels can vary from year to year

The fishery around the Faroe Islands has for centuries been an almost free international fishery involving several countries. Apart from a local fishery with small wooden boats, the Faroese offshore fishery started in the late 19^th century. The Fa- roese fleet had to compete with other fleets, especially from the United Kingdom with the result that a large part of the Faroese fishing fleet became specialised in fishing in other areas. So except for a small local fleet most of the Faroese fleet were fishing around Iceland, at Rockall, in the North Sea and in more distant waters like the Grand Bank, Flemish Cap, Greenland, the Barents Sea and Svalbard.

Up to 1959, all vessels were allowed to fish around the Faroes outside the 3 nm zone.

During the 1960s, the fisheries zone was gradually expanded, and in 1977 an EEZ of 200 nm was introduced in the Faroe area. The demersal fishery by foreign nations has

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since decreased and Faroese vessels now take most of the catches. The fishery may be considered a multi-fleet and multi-species fishery as described below.

During the 1980s and 1990s the Faroese authorities have regulated the fishery and the investment in fishing vessels. In 1987 a system of fishing licenses was introduced. The demersal fishery at the Faroe Islands has been regulated by technical measures (min- imum mesh sizes and closed areas). In order to protect juveniles and young fish, fishing is temporarily prohibited in areas where the number of small cod, haddock and saithe exceeds 30% (in numbers) in the catches; after 1–2 weeks the areas are again opened for fishing. A reduction of effort has been attempted through banning of new licenses and buy-back of old licenses.

A quota system, based on individual quotas, was introduced in 1994. The fishing year started on 1 September and ended on 31 August the following year. The aim of the quota system was, through restrictive TACs for the period 1994–1998, to increase the SSBs of Faroe Plateau cod and haddock to 52 000 t and 40 000 t, respectively. The TAC for saithe was set higher than recommended scientifically. It should be noted that cod, haddock and saithe are caught in a mixed fishery and any management measure should account for this. Species under the quota system were Faroe Plateau cod, haddock, saithe, redfish and Faroe Bank cod.

The catch quota management system introduced in the Faroese fisheries in 1994 was met with considerable criticism and resulted in discarding and in misreporting of substantial portions of the catches. Reorganisation of enforcement and control did not solve the problems. As a result of the dissatisfaction with the catch quota management system, the Faroese Parliament discontinued the system as from 31 May 1996.

In close cooperation with the fishing industry, the Faroese government has developed a new system based on individual transferable effort quotas in days within fleet categories. The new system entered into force on 1 June 1996. The fishing year from 1 September to 31 August, as introduced under the catch quota system, has been maintained.

The individual transferable effort quotas apply to 1) the longliners less than 110 GRT, the jiggers, and the single trawlers less than 400 HP, 2) the pair trawlers and 3) the longliners greater than 110 GRT. The single trawlers greater than 400 HP do not have effort limitations, but they are not allowed to fish within the 12 nautical mile limit and the areas closed to them, as well as to the pair trawlers, have increased in area and time. Their catch of cod and haddock is limited by maximum by-catch allocation.

The single trawlers less than 400 HP are given special licenses to fish inside 12 nautical miles with a by-catch allocation of 30% cod and 10% haddock. In addition, they are obliged to use sorting devices in their trawls in order to minimize their by- catches. One fishing day by longliners less than 110 GRT is considered equivalent to two fishing days for jiggers in the same gear category. Longliners less than 110 GRT could therefore double their allocation by converting to jigging. Table 2.1.1 shows the number of fishing days used by fleet category for 1985–1995 and 1998–2008 and Table 2.1.2 shows the number of allocated days inside the outer thick line (the “ring”) in Figure 2.1.2. Holders of individual transferable effort quotas who fish outside this line can fish for 3 days for each day allocated inside the line. Trawlers are generally not allowed to fish inside the 12 nautical mile limit. Inside the innermost thick line only longliners less than 100 GRT and jiggers less than 110 GRT are allowed to fish.

The Faroe Bank shallower than 200 m is closed to trawling. Due to the serious decline of the Faroe Bank cod, the Bank has been closed since 1 January 2009 for all gears.

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The fleet segmentation used to regulate the demersal fisheries in the Faroe Islands and the regulations applied are summarized in Table 2.1.3.

The effort quotas are transferable within gear categories. The allocations of number of fishing days by fleet categories was made such that together with other regulations of the fishery they should result in average fishing mortalities on each of the 3 stocks of 0.45, corresponding to average annual catches of 33% of the exploitable stocks in numbers. Built into the system is also an assumption that the day system is self- regulatory, because the fishery will move between stocks according to the relative availability of each of them and no stock will be overexploited. These target fishing mortalities have been evaluated during the 2005 and 2006 NWWG meetings (2.1.6) The realized fishing mortalities have been substantially higher than the target for cod, appear to have exceeded the target for saithe in recent years, while for haddock, fishing mortality remains below the target.

As can been seen in Table 2.1.2, there have been some reductions in the number of allocated fishing days in order to reduce the fishing mortality; for the present fishing year the number of days were reduced by 10%. From Table 2.1.1 it can be seen that the actual number of fishing days used by the fleets was reduced for 2008 and available information indicate that this also applies to 2009. Reasons are small catch rates combined with high costs of fishing.

In addition to the number of days allocated in the law, it is also stated in the law what percentage of total catches of cod, haddock, saithe and redfish, each fleet category on average is expected to fish. These percentages are as follows:

Fleet category Cod Haddock Saithe Redfish Longliners < 110GRT,

jiggers, single trawl. < 400HP 51 % 58 % 17.5 % 1 % Longliners > 110GRT 23 % 28 %

Pairtrawlers 21 % 10.25 % 69 % 8.5 % Single trawlers > 400 HP 4 % 1.75 % 13 % 90.5 % Others 1 % 2 % 0.5 % 0.5 % The technical measures as mentioned above are still in effect.

2.1.3 The marine environment

The waters around the Faroe Islands are in the upper 500 m dominated by the North Atlantic current, which to the north of the islands meets the East Icelandic current.

Clockwise current systems create retention areas on the Faroe Plateau (Faroe shelf) and on the Faroe Bank. In deeper waters to the north and east and in the Faroe Bank channel is deep Norwegian Sea water, and to the south and west is Atlantic water.

From the late 1980s the intensity of the North Atlantic current passing the Faroe area decreased, but it has increased again in the most recent years. The productivity of the Faroese waters was very low in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This applies also to the recruitment of many fish stocks, and the growth of the fish was poor as well. From 1992 onwards the conditions have returned to more normal values which also is re- flected in the fish landings. There has been observed a very clear relationship, from primary production to the higher trophic levels (including fish and seabirds), in the Faroe shelf ecosystem, and all trophic levels seem to respond quickly to variability in primary production in the ecosystem (Gaard, E. et al. 2001). There is a positive rela-

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tionship between primary production and the cod and haddock individual fish growth and recruitment 1-2 years later. The primary production indices have been below average since 2002 except for 2004 and 2008 when it was above average. The estimate of primary production in 2009 will not be available until July, but preliminary estimates suggest it to be at the same level as in 2008. It will have little effect on the spawning stock size in the short term, but recruitment and total stock biomass will likely be improved. Potential positive effect on the recruitment will not influence the fishery before 2-3 years. The effects of primary production on catchability are dis- cussed further in section 2.1.4 below.

The index of primary production applies to the shallow waters around Faroe Island (Faroe Shelf, depth < 130 m) whereas little has been known about the primary production or food availability over the deeper areas. In 2008 new information became available on the productivity over the deep areas and is outlined in Working Docu- ment 20 from last year (Steingrund and Hátún, 2008). The working document describes an empirical relationship between the strength of the subpolar gyre (SPG) and the biomass of saithe in Faroese waters four years later. An index was developed that described the strength of the gyre. The gyre index was given the opposite sign of the strength/extension of the SPG so that the index was positively related to temperature and phytoplankton/zooplankton abundance in a large area south-west of the Faroe Islands and saithe biomass at the Faroes. There was a strong positive relationship between the gyre index and the total biomass of saithe in Faroese waters four years later over a 40-year period, the causal link hypothesized to be food availability. The relationship between the gyre index and saithe suggested that saithe biomass estimated in the 2008 SPALY XSA assessment was underestimated in the recent years.

The temporal development of the gyre index was different from the phytoplankton index over the shallow areas, these two indices often showing opposite trends, especially during recent years when phytoplankton production has been low whereas the gyre index has been high (Figure 2.1.3). This means that the conditions are poor for cod and haddock, which are strongly influenced by the phytoplankton index whereas the conditions for saithe are good. The overall situation for the Faroese fisheries in 2009 seems therefore not as bad as in the beginning of the 1990s when both these indices were low and the three species had low biomasses.

The hydrographical conditions over the deep areas also seem to affect Greenland halibut. There seems to be a negative relationship between the gyre index and the abundance/catches of Greenland halibut in Faroese waters some three years later (Steingrund and Hátún, 2009: working document 9). It is hypothesized that warmer- than-average surface water masses lead to a decrease in the preferred water masses for Greenland halibut in the deep waters (400-600 m) at the Faroes around three years later and vice versa.

2.1.4 Catchability analysis

In an effort management regime with a limited numbers of fishing days, it is expected that vessels will try to increase their efficiency (catchability) as much as possible in order to optimise the catch and its value within the number of days allocated. “Tech- nological creeping” should therefore be monitored closely in such a system. Howev- er, catchability of the fleets can change for other reasons, e.g. availability of the fish to the gears. If such effects are known or believed to exist, catchability changes may need to be incorporated in the advice on fisheries.

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The primary production of the Faroe Shelf ecosystem may vary by as much as a fac- tor of five and given the link between primary production and recruitment and growth (production) of cod as demonstrated by Steingrund & Gaard (2005), this could have pronounced effects on catchability and stock assessment as a whole. Be- low are the results from an analysis regarding Faroe Plateau cod, Faroe haddock and Faroe saithe.

For cod there seems to be a link between the primary production and growth of cod (Fig. 2.1.4). The primary production seems to be negatively correlated with the catchability of longlines (Figure 2.1.5), suggesting that cod attack longline baits more when natural food abundance is low. Since longliners usually take a large proportion of the cod catch, the total fishing mortality fluctuates in the same way as the long line catchability and thus there is a negative relationship between primary production and fishing mortality (Fig. 2.1.6).

Also for haddock there seems to be similar relationship between primary production, growth, catchability and fishing mortality as for cod. The negative relationship between primary production and fishing mortality as shown in Fig. 2.1.7 suggests, that the same mechanism is valid for haddock as for cod.

It is, however, important to note that the relationship between the productivity of the ecosystem and the catchability of long lines depends on the age of the fish. For cod, the relationship is most clear for age 5 and older; for age 3 and 4, the relationship is less clear. For young haddock there apparently is no such relationship between productivity and catchability.

For saithe no clear relationship was observed between the catchability for the Cuba pair trawlers (pair trawlers take the majority of the catch) and other variables such as primary production, growth and stock size.

The analysis reported above suggests that natural factors may have a larger influence than technological ones, at least for Faroe Plateau cod and Faroe haddock on changes in catchability. In addition, the available data indicate that there has not been suffi- cient time since the implementation of the effort management system in 1996 to detect convincing changes in catchability. However, from a management perspective, if the hypothesis that catchability is related to productivity is true, and if productivity is low, there is the potential for very high fishing mortality to be exerted on cod. It could therefore be prudent to consider substantial reductions in fishing effort when periods with low primary production occur.

2.1.5 Summary of the 2009 assessment of Faroe Plateau cod, haddock and saithe

A summary of selected parameters from the 2009 assessment of Faroe Plateau cod, Faroe haddock and Faroe saithe is shown in Figure 2.1.8. As mentioned in previous reports of this WG, landings of cod, haddock and saithe on the Faroes appear to be closely linked with the total biomass of the stocks. For cod, the exploitation ratio and fishing mortality has remained relatively stable over time, although they have been more fluctuating in recent years. For haddock, the exploitation rate was decreasing from the 1950s and 1960s, , while it would have been relatively steady since the mid 1970s. For saithe, there is a suggestion that the exploitation rate was increasing at the beginning of the period, it decreased from the early 1990s to 1998 and has increased since to close to the highest values observed.

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Another main feature of the plots of landings, biomasses, mortalities and recruitment is the apparent periodicity during the time series with cod and haddock showing almost the same trends..

2.1.6 Reference points for Faroese stocks and evaluation of the Faroese management system

The NWWG has evaluated the relevance of existing reference points for Faroese demersal stocks on several occasions in recent years, mostly by investigating the development of fishing mortality and SSB and by doing medium term simulations. Except for the biomass reference points for Faroe Plateau cod, which are considered appropriate, the NWWG suggested changes to all other reference points and did so again in 2007 based on the guidelines provided in the report of the Study Group on Precau- tionary Reference Points for Advice on Fishery Management, held at ICES HQ from 24-26 February 2003 (SGPRP 2003) and the results of the current assessments. A summary of past work by the NWWG was presented at the end of this reference points section in the 2007 overview. ICES revised the haddock biomass reference points in 2007 but not those for saithe because the assessment was not accepted due to retrospective pattern where biomass was consistently underestimated. The fishing mortality reference points need also to be revised for the three Faroese stocks.

2.1.7 Faroe saithe

The NWWG understands that ICES could not revise the biomass reference points for Faroe saithe because the assessment was not accepted. Figure 6.5.1.2 of the 2009 SPA- LY XSA assessment shows that recruitment is not impaired at 60 000t, the current Blim. Larger year classes appear to have been observed at the lower end of the SSB range. As suggested by SGPRP 2003, NWWG 2005 and NWWG 2006, Bloss for Faroe saithe should be interpreted as Bpa, not as Blim, that is Bpa = 60 000t. Blim could be arbitrarily set prudently lower at 45-50 000t until more stock and recruitment pairs are observed or it could be left undefined. Fishing mortality reference points remain to be identified.

2.1.8 Review of the management system

The Faroese authorities have set up a committee to review the effort management system implemented in 1996, consistent with a NWWG 2007 recommendation. The members of the Fisheries Efficiency Committee participate in a personal capacity and cover expertise in trawl and linefisheries, fisheries biology and stock assessment, the Faroese fishing industry, fisheries technology and capacity, fisheries economy and fisheries law and administration. A report was made available during summer 2008 but the results are not very conclusive and could not be used directly by this WG.

2.1.9 References:

Gaard. E., Hansen, B., Olsen, B and Reinert, J. 2001. Ecological features and recent trends in physical environment, plankton, fish stocks and sea birds in the Faroe plateau ecosystem.

In: K- Sherman and H-R Skjoldal (eds). Changing states of the Large Marine Ecosystems of the North Atlantic.

Steingrund, P., and Gaard, E. 2005. Relationship between phytoplankton production and cod production on the Faroe Shelf. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 62: 163-176.Steingrund, P., and Hátún, H. 2008. Relationship between the North Atlantic subpolar gyre and fluctua- tions of the saithe stock in Faroese waters. NWWG 2008 Working Document 20.