Generic Harvest Control Rules for European Fisheries Rainer Froese, Trevor A. Branch, Alexander Proelß, Martin Quaas, Keith Sainsbury & Christopher Zimmermann Accepted in Fish & Fisheries

Acronyms B msy is the biomass that can produce the maximum sustainable yield (UNCLOS, UNFSA) F msy is the corresponding fishing mortality B lim is the biomass below which recruitment is reduced and collapse possible B pa is a biomass slightly above B lim but far below B msy

Cod, Eastern Baltic B msy Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010 B pa B lim

Recruitment of Eastern Baltic Cod

European Fisheries are Mismanaged 24% are threatened by collapse (B < B lim ) 31% are near threatened (B lim > B < B pa ) 45% are not threatened (B > B pa ) But only 3-4 of these stocks have B > B msy and F < F msy, i.e., comply with UNCLOS and UNFSA ICES since 2010 gives estimates of F msy but not MSY or B msy Less than half of the stocks are assessed

HCR 1: Reference and Trigger Biomass The reference biomass B msy for the subsequent rules and reference points is the biomass that can produce the maximum sustainable yield. This biomass also acts as a trigger when stocks fall below this level.

HCR 2: Target Biomass The target biomass, to be achieved on average over approximately 5 years, is 1.3 Bmsy. The target biomass can be increased as required by economic, ecosystem or other considerations.

HCR 3: Limit Biomass The limit biomass B lim, which is to be avoided with a high probability, is 0.5 B msy A higher biomass limit may be set for species with low resilience to exploitation.

HCR 4: Total Allowable Catch Fisheries are managed by a total allowable catch (TAC). A maximum TAC is set for each stock so that the respective target biomass is maintained on average. This maximum TAC may be taken as long as biomass fluctuations remain above Bmsy.

HCR 5: TAC Reductions If the biomass falls below B msy, then the TAC is linearly reduced, as a function of biomass, to reach zero catch at B lim.

HCR 6: Mixed Fisheries In fisheries where several target species are caught with the same gear, the maximum TACs for the respective stocks will be set such that the most sensitive stocks do not fall below B msy on average over five years, with a high probability of not falling below B lim.

HCR 7: Discard No discard of commercially exploited species will be allowed, except for species with a demonstrated high discard survival rate.

HCR 8: Bycatch Ecological risk assessment will be conducted on bycatch species and to assess potential damage to the environment caused by fishing, with respective measures to be taken to minimize risk.

HCR 9: Size structure The mean size and age in the catch will be adjusted to minimize changes in age structure caused by fishing, and to reduce the effects of fisheries-induced unnatural selection.

Proposed Harvest Control Rules

Comparison Schaefer vs Fox

Status of European Stocks

Move stocks here. Landings may then be 60% higher Froese et al., accepted in FAF

Test Case North Sea Herring (I)

Test Case North Sea Herring (II)

Test Case Blue Whiting

Comparison F-based vs Y-based

How to Get to B msy with Least Pain?

Cod, Eastern Baltic B MSY MSY Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

Thank You Rainer Froese IFM-GEOMAR