Status of commercially exploited stocks relative to Good Environmental Status (GES) for fishing mortality (F) and reproductive capacity (SSB), and proportion of commercial landings covered by assessments

This figure presents the status of commercially exploited fish and shellfish stocks and the coverage of their assessments across Europe’s marine regions, based on the most recent stock assessments (within the last 5 years).

The left panel shows the status of assessed stocks with sufficient information to evaluate GES in relation to fishing mortality (F) and/or spawning stock biomass (SSB). Stocks are classified as: (1) achieving GES for both F and SSB (i.e. F ≤ F_MSY and SSB ≥ SSB_MSY or appropriate proxy); (2) achieving GES for either F or SSB; or (3) not achieving GES for either criterion.

The right panel shows the proportion of total commercial landings covered by stock assessments with sufficient information to evaluate GES in relation to F and/or SSB. Landings are classified as: (1) covered by assessments for both F and SSB; (2) covered by assessments for either F or SSB; and (3) not covered by assessments or lacking sufficient information to assess F and SSB.

Together, the two panels provide a combined view of progress towards GES under Descriptor 3 and the extent to which commercial landings are covered by stock assessments supporting this evaluation.

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of stocks assessed in each region or subregion during the latest assessment period (within the last 5 years).

Regional groupings used in the figure are as follows:

· Europe's seas - includes stocks from all regions;

· North-East Atlantic and Baltic Sea - includes stocks from the Greater North Sea, Baltic Sea, Celtic Seas, Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast, and the Azores region (excludes stocks from the Arctic Ocean, widely distributed, Iceland, Greenland and Faroes);

· Mediterranean and Black Sea - includes stocks from the Mediterranean Sea subregions and the Black Sea.

Units

Percentage

Additional information

• Not all stocks are assessed annually. In most cases, 2024 represents the most recent assessment year; where 2024 assessments are not available, the latest assessed status is assumed to remain valid until updated.

• Under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), individual stocks may be reported in more than one ecoregion. For the purpose of this analysis, each stock is assigned to a single ecoregion, considered to be the most relevant to the stock and associated fishery.

• In the Mediterranean Sea, stock assessments are conducted within a multiannual cycle; therefore, the number of assessed stocks varies depending on the assessment period considered.

• Landings data for 2024 for the North-East Atlantic and the Baltic Sea are based on the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Official Nominal Catches dataset (2024). Landings data for 2024 for the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea are based on capture production statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Status of commercially exploited stocks relative to Good Environmental Status (GES) for fishing mortality (F) and reproductive capacity (SSB), and proportion of commercial landings covered by assessments

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References and footnotes