European Union, Norway and the United Kingdom - fisheries consultations: agreed records 2024

17 Herring

17.1 The Delegations referred to the report of the working group on herring, whose terms of reference were set out in Annex III of the Agreed Record of fisheries consultations between the Parties for 2022. They noted that this report presents a well written and comprehensive overview of the development of the herring distribution, fisheries, management approaches and challenges. The working group stopped short of suggesting new management models for exploitation of North Sea autumn-spawning (NSAS) herring as this was considered a task for managers. Furthermore, the Delegations recalled their decision to meet early in 2023 to continue the revision of the current management regime and to finalise this work before October 2023.

17.2 The Delegations noted the progress which they had made in the course of 2023 on this issue. They recalled that they had discussed various potential revisions to the current management regime with the aim of achieving a sustainable and simplified management model. They agreed that the management of NSAS herring should be based on a single TAC. The Delegations nevertheless agreed that further work is needed before this can be implemented in practice.

17.3 The Delegations acknowledged the joint request to ICES about the evaluation of a new harvest control rule for herring (Annex IX). The Delegations agreed that both scientists and managers of the Parties should attend the scoping meeting for the joint request, planned by ICES in January 2024.

17.4 The EU Delegation recalled its separate request to ICES for advice on additional elements of a long-term management plan for NSAS herring, including Western Baltic spring-spawning (WBSS) herring.

17.5 The Delegations noted that according to the ICES MSY approach catches in 2024 in the North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat, and eastern English Channel should be no more than 532,166 tonnes. This represents an increase of 28.3% in the advice compared to 2023.

17.6 The Delegations agreed to establish a TAC for 2024 for the A fleet of 510,323 tonnes. This is an increase of 28.7% compared to 2023.

17.7 They also agreed that bycatches of herring in other fisheries (the B fleet) should be set at 7,716 tonnes in 2024.

17.8 The Delegations also noted that the TACs for the C and D fleets in Skagerrak are to be set out in the EU-Norway bilateral agreement on the regulation of fisheries in the Skagerrak and Kattegat for 2024. The Delegations further noted that that agreement set out the TACs for the C and D fleets, which respectively should not exceed 29,735 tonnes and 6,659 tonnes.

17.9 The Delegations noted that combined levels of the A, B, C and D fleet TACs/allowances are MSY compliant for NSAS herring. This assumes that any transfers from the C-fleet in division 3.a to subarea 4 are limited to no more than that portion of the C-fleet TAC that is considered to be NSAS herring in 3.a, taking into account recently-observed mixing rates in 3.a (average for 2020-2022: 43% in the C-fleet being NSAS herring).

17.10 The EU and UK Delegations informed the Norwegian delegation of their bilateral arrangement for 2024 on the subject of inter-area quota flexibility, as set out in paragraph 2e of the Written Record of fisheries consultations between the UK and the EU for 2024.

17.11 The Delegations noted that ICES has advised a zero catch of WBSS herring since 2019. They also noted the decision by the EU to establish a TAC for 2024 of 788 tonnes for WBSS herring in Subareas 22-24 exclusively used for bycatch in the Baltic Sea.

17.12 The UK Delegation informed the Norwegian and EU Delegations that it would be reviewing its control and enforcement regimes in 2024 and 2025. As part of that review, the UK will be assessing the use of selectivity mechanisms and devices in its waters, including in fisheries where NSAS herring are caught incidentally.

17.13 The EU Delegation noted the need to prioritise within the MCS WG tasks the cooperation on the control of NSAS herring bycatches in other fisheries with a view to share and recommend best practices on weighing and catch registration.