Indicator Fact Sheet

The North Sea cod (Gadus morhua) stock.

Indicator Fact Sheet

Prod-ID: IND-13-en

Also known as: FISH 01b

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This page was archived on 03 Mar 2015 with reason: Other (New version data-and-maps/indicators/status-of-marine-fish-stocks-2/assessment was published)

Assessment made on 01 Jan 2002

Generic metadata

Classification

Topics:

DPSIR: State

Identification

Indicator codes

FISH 01b

Contents

Policy issue: Sustainable exploitation of fish stocks is a target for the EU-CFP. Landings are regulated through TAC, but this does not directly lead to control of the actual catches

Figures

The North Sea cod stock ? Historical development in recruitment and spawning stock biomass.

Key assessment

The status of a fish stock in itself is valid as an indicator only as long as parameters describing the stock are collected regularly. By being one of the key fish stocks of the north-east Atlantic, and by being of interest to a number of member- and non Member States, the status of the North Sea cod stock is justified as an indicator of sustainability in multilateral fish resource exploitation and management.

Sustainable exploitation of fish stocks is a target for the EU-CFP. Landings are regulated through TAC, but this does not directly lead to control of the actual catches. The principle of regulating landings is, eventually, hoped also to regulate fishing mortality. It has been claimed that management by TACï¿½s alone is hardly possible, and that regulation of effort has to be considered in addition to, or preferably, in replacement of, TAC regulations. The present status of the North Sea cod stock seems clearly to support this statement. The TACs are based on advice from relevant ICES working groups issuing annual assessment reports based on catch statistics, surveys and calculations of a number of central parameters for each stock.