Cod landings rose in 2011 and biomass indices have increased during the last 5 years. (Photo: www.liu.is)

Experts propose increasing cod quota

The Icelandic Marine Research Institute (IMRI) has suggested increasing the cod fishing quota next season from 177,000 to 196,000 tonnes. The suggestion was issued in its recently released report on the condition of fish stocks in Icelandic waters.

Managing Director of the Icelandic Federation of Fishing Vessel Owners (LÍÚ) Friðrik J. Arngrímsson said the proposed tonnage corresponds with expectations. He noted that the cod stock has grown strongly and highlighted that the spawning stock has not had a higher index since 1964, Iceland Review reports.

Total nominal landings of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in 2011 were 172,000 tonnes compared to 169,000 tonnes in 2010. The reference biomass in 2012 is estimated as 1,070,000 tonnes and the spawning stock as 419,000 tonnes, compared to Blim (limit biomass)=125,000 and Btrigger (value of spawning stock biomass that triggers a specific management action)=220,000 tonnes.

Although redfish and herring stocks are also doing well, the condition of haddock is not as positive. IMRI thus proposed slashing the haddock fishing quota by 30 per cent, from 45,000 to 32,000 tonnes so there is a low probability of the spawning stock in 2014–2015 going below Blim.

In 2011, 49,000 tonnes of haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) were landed, compared with 64,000 tonnes in 2010. There is some risk of the spawning stock going below the historical minimum in 2014–15, which will depend on fishing effort.
 
Growth was very slow in 2004–9 but it increased considerably in 2009–11, when it was estimated at around average.

In 2011, landings of saithe (Pollachius virens) were 51,000 tonnes, a decrease of approximately 6 per cent compared to 2010. The advice for the quota year 2011-12 was 45,000 tonnes and the TAC was set at 52,000 tonnes.

Landings of summer-spawning herring (Clupea harengus) during 2011-12 amounted to 49,000 tonnes. For the fourth winter in a row, the stock was heavily infected by Ichthyophonus and it is estimated that 14 per cent of the fishable stock will die because of it during the spring.

The International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has recommended a TAC of 833,000 tonnes for the 2012 season. Iceland will have a quota of 121,000 tonnes.

In the beginning of July 2011, 82,000 tonnes of capelin quota were allocated to Norway, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The final TAC based on survey results in January 2012 was 765,000 tonnes.

International landings of blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) in the Northeast Atlantic in 2011 are estimated to be around 94,000 tonnes. Icelandic landings were 6,000 tonnes. 

The analytical assessment in 2011 indicates a steady drop in the spawning stock of about 66 per cent between 2004 and 2012 and ICES recommends a maximum catch quota of 391,000 tonnes in 2012.

International landings of mackerel (Scomber scombrus) in the Northeast Atlantic in 2011 are estimated at 927,000 tonnes. The spawning stock increased from 2003 to 2009 but has fallen since then and the estimated spawning stock in 2012 is about 2.7 million tonnes.

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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