Decision

26 March 2024: fishing opportunities for British fishing boats for Northern Shelf Anglerfish

Updated 26 March 2024

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

1. In the 2023 determination of fishing opportunities for UK fishing vessels ^{[footnote 1]}, the Secretary of State set a total allowable catch (TAC) for Northern Shelf anglerfish which exceeded the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) advice for that year. This decision took into account the requirements of the Fisheries Act 2020, the Joint Fisheries Statement and the North Sea Multiannual Plan (MAP) ^{[footnote 2]} to balance the sustainability of the stock with socio-economic impacts of a significant TAC reduction.

2. Northern Shelf anglerfish, ICES stock code: anf.27.3a46, refers to the biological stock of anglerfish which extends across the whole Northern Shelf: North Sea, Rockall and West of Scotland, Skagerrak and Kattegat. It is covered by three TAC management codes within UK waters: ANF/56-14, ANF/2AC4-C, ANF/04-N.

3. Northern Shelf anglerfish is within scope of the MAP, per Article 1(h). The UK is therefore required to follow the MAP when determining fishing opportunities for Northern Shelf anglerfish. Northern Shelf anglerfish is not a bycatch only stock. It is fished as a target species and as a valued component of mixed demersal fisheries.  The MAP specifies that fishing opportunities should be established within the lower range of FMSY ^{[footnote 3]} available for a stock (Article 4(3)), unless a stock is above MSY Btrigger ^{[footnote 4]}, in which case fishing opportunities can be set in line with an upper range of FMSY (Article 4(5)) if specified conditions are also met.

4. For the purposes of determining fishing opportunities, the UK considers scientific advice from ICES. ICES categorises Northern Shelf anglerfish as data limited, meaning it cannot provide FMSY range information. Instead, ICES provides a single proxy figure for FMSY, alongside a biomass reference Btrigger proxy. Consequently, there is no upper or lower FMSY range information available for the purposes of Article 4(1-3) or (5).

5. Nevertheless, given the fact that the TAC has been set above the ICES headline advice, the Secretary of State has out of caution and in the interests of transparency, decided to prepare and publish this document in line with Article 4(7) and (8) of the MAP.

Change of circumstances and impact on determination

1. The relevant change of circumstances as required by the MAP relates to available scientific evidence and the consequent evidence relating to social and economic elements of sustainable development in accordance with Article 4(9) and is set out as follows.

2. In 2022, ICES provided advice for Northern Shelf anglerfish for the 2023 and 2024 fishing years. This was a new timeframe of advice for the stock, as previously it was received annually.  The UK’s interpretation of ICES advice as UK quota would have been 6,793 tonnes in 2023 and 6,910 tonnes in 2024. This was a change in ICES advice from 2021 which the UK interpreted as a UK quota of 9,567 tonnes for the 2022 fishing year (the UK quota was set at 10,509 tonnes).

3. Interpretation of ICES advice is required because ICES assessment areas and TAC management areas do not always match. Additionally, ICES do not provide fishing authority specific advice. Therefore, quota shares, such as under the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement, are also considered.

4. In response to the ICES advice, in 2023, the UK set a reduced quota of 9,117 tonnes, this included an inward transfer of quota from Norway of 1,075 tonnes.

5. In 2024, the UK set a further reduced quota of 8,880 tonnes, this included a reduced inward transfer from Norway of 700 tonnes.

6. Although the UK’s quota was reduced between 2022 and 2024 in response to ICES advised declining trend in recent stock biomass, it was still set above the amount advised by ICES. This outcome was decided by the Secretary of State in consideration of the economic impact on the fleet of reducing the UK quota by the recommended amount.

7. Revenue from anglerfish landings makes up about one quarter of income at three fishing ports located in remoter communities of Scotland (Scrabster, Ullapool and Kinlochbervie).  Around 20 offshore vessels operating from these areas would have seen a revenue reduction of 10% to 30% if the advised reduction had been implemented in full (between 2022 and 2024).  This would equate to a loss of £2.7 million to Scottish vessels with anglerfish making up more than 10% of their revenue relative to 2022 over the two years.

8. Limiting the reduction in total quota across the two years prevented substantial variation in the fishing opportunities over a short period of time, enabling businesses to adapt to the change in circumstances following the new ICES advice, whilst continuing a trend towards a reduced catch as advised by ICES.

1. Section 23 of the Fisheries Act 2020 accessible at: Fishing opportunities for British fishing boats ↩

2. Regulation (EC) No 2018/973 ↩

3. FMSY is the fishing mortality consistent with achieving maximum sustainable yield (MSY) ↩

4. Btrigger is the limit below which the number of juveniles becomes impaired. ↩