North Sea Greater Silver Smelt Fisheries Management Plan

FMP policies

In developing the policies and actions for this FMP, the fisheries policy authorities have considered the current policy landscape including applicable international agreements and declarations, conservation advice and wider policy development already underway, in addition to considering what additional evidence, measures or policies may be needed to support both the vision of this FMP and delivery of the fisheries objectives. In most cases, individual actions within this FMP will directly link to one or more of the fisheries objectives and these links are made below. FMPs are one of the tools that support the achievement of the fisheries objectives, although they are not the only policy vehicle available to do this. The fisheries policy authorities have also considered the conservation advice received from the SNCBs and included the outputs from that work in considering where policy action may be needed.

Effective management of the overall marine space is critical to sustainable development of existing and emerging sectors, and the protection of the marine environment. Whilst not a specific topic that is covered in detail within the FMPs, the fisheries policy authorities are working on a range of policies to help manage the increased demand for marine space, reduce the conflict arising from competition for marine space, and ensure that the right protections are in place to manage broader impacts from wider use. This FMP has been developed within the wider context of the Marine Plans in place in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Consideration will also be given to the objectives and principles outlined in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement when considering measures.

In most cases further policy development work will be needed for any new actions, which could include additional evidence gathering or public consultation, along with the completion of appropriate impact assessments.

It should also be noted that North Sea GSS is a jointly managed stock with the EU, and therefore overall fishing opportunities are determined through international negotiation. The stock is subject to different management measures in different areas of the sea by individual coastal States, so we will endeavour to work in cooperation to jointly deliver sustainable management and catching opportunities for this stock.

The first two policies set out below largely relate to management measures to achieve long-term sustainability of the North Sea GSS stock, and the remaining policies set out actions in relation to wider sustainable management.

Policy 1: Harvest the North Sea GSS stock sustainably, contributing to maintaining or restoring the biomass above the level capable of producing MSY

Rationale

The primary aim of the FMPs, such as this North Sea GSS FMP where there is sufficient available scientific evidence to enable assessment of a stock’s MSY, is to set out policies designed to maintain or restore the stock to a sustainable level. This is in line with section 6(3)(a) of the Fisheries Act 2020, where the role of fisheries managers is to help ensure stocks are harvested sustainably, in order to protect the long-term viability of the stocks and the fisheries that depend upon them.

The use of TACs as a measure to manage fisheries is a key approach adopted by the UK to help ensure that the fishing pressure is kept within sustainable levels, whilst also taking account of relevant socio-economic factors. This is consistent with the sustainability objective of the Act.

Although fishing pressure on North Sea GSS is currently below F_MSY, the total international landings exceed advice every year because of third party (non-UK or EU) catches. Until this management issue is resolved, the stock will continue to fail Cefas’s sustainability assessment.

Implementation of REM in March 2026 on Scottish pelagic vessels and pelagic vessels fishing in Scottish waters will enhance monitoring of catches in directed fisheries where GSS may be a bycatch, further supporting the use of a TAC management approach. Defra is also working towards introducing REM in English waters.

It should also be noted that the health of fish stocks can change over time and is affected by a range of different factors, not only fishing activity.

The actions below are focussed on maintaining and improving the current management approach.

Actions

Ongoing actions

• Continue to take an approach to TAC setting informed by the best available scientific advice and in line with an MSY approach.
• Continue to work with the EU to support the sustainable harvesting of the stock through international negotiations.

Relevant Fisheries Act objectives

The relevant Fisheries Act objectives are the:

• sustainability objective
• precautionary objective
• scientific evidence objective
• ecosystem objective
• Work with ICES to consider further developing ecosystem-informed assessments and ecosystem modelling approaches in the future.

Policy 2: Use the best-available scientific evidence to support management decisions relating to the setting of sustainable fishing opportunities

Rationale

This policy is in accordance with section 3.2 (‘Science and Evidence’) of the JFS.

Scientific evidence is essential for delivering appropriate and sustainable fisheries management. A considerable level of work is carried out at national and international level to ensure that the scientific evidence base is robust and up-to-date.

North Sea GSS has a high level of scientific evidence and data in place which already enables fisheries policy authorities to make an MSY assessment for the stock and to take evidence-based decisions in relation to the setting of fishing opportunities. While current ICES stock assessments are considered sufficiently robust to inform management decisions, improvements in the incorporation of ecological evidence, including predator-prey interactions, into stock assessments will lead to more accurate advice.

The actions below are focussed on maintaining the current data collection and scientific approach, along with considering longer-term improvements.

Some actions are not specific to the stock but are general actions which underpin the UK’s overall approach to collection and use of scientific data to support fisheries management.

Actions

Ongoing actions

• Continue to participate in ICES working groups to support ongoing data collection and maintenance of the international scientific evidence base that supports the setting of fishing opportunities at sustainable levels.
• Continue to undertake scientific surveys, participate in international stock assessments and contribute to the international advice process.
• Continue to work collaboratively with the fishing industry in allowing observers and samplers to gather bycatch data both at sea and on land, ensuring that high-quality representative data are gathered and submitted to ICES.
• Continue to use the best available evidence to underpin management decisions, implementing the precautionary approach when robust data is not yet available.

Short term actions (one to two years)

• Utilise additional and new data streams, including the use of biological data from the observer, and scientific data derived from new technology such as REM.

Relevant Fisheries Act objectives

The relevant Fisheries Act objectives are the:

• sustainability objective
• scientific evidence objective
• precautionary objective

Policy 3: Monitor catches of North Sea GSS and ensure that where possible all catches are counted against quotas

Rationale

This policy is in accordance with section 4.2.8 (‘Reducing Bycatch and Minimising Catches of Sensitive Species’) of the JFS.

There is a legislative requirement under the Landing Obligation to land all species of fish subject to quota regulations, and for fishers to ensure that all catches are counted and recorded. UK fisheries policy authorities have different approaches in place or in development to improve the operation of the current legislation and the recording of catches, and this includes consideration of the rollout of new technology including REM.

From March 2026, all pelagic fishing vessels fishing in Scottish waters and all Scottish pelagic vessels wherever they fish, must have REM on board. Similar measures are being developed for English waters. REM is an effective way of ensuring that fishing vessels comply with relevant fisheries legislation.

REM supports fisheries managers to understand levels of fish bycatch and take appropriate action if needed.

Actions

Ongoing actions

• Continue to monitor demersal fishing activity using at sea observers, on land market sampling, REM (where available) and other tools, and take appropriate action to tackle non-compliance as needed.
• Monitor levels of fish bycatch within fisheries and take appropriate management action as required.

Relevant Fisheries Act objectives

The relevant Fisheries Act objectives are the:

• bycatch objective
• scientific evidence objective
• sustainability objective

Policy 4: Deliver wider sustainable management by minimising the impact of the North Sea GSS fishery on the marine ecosystem

Rationale

This policy is in accordance with section 4 (‘Delivering Sustainable Management of Fisheries’) of the JFS.

To varying degrees, all forms of fishing have an impact on the marine environment and marine ecosystems, whether through the removal of target fish species or incidental bycatch of non-target fish or other marine species.

GSS plays an important ecological role as both a predator and prey in the marine food web. As a predator, it controls plankton populations, while it is also an important prey species for larger fish (cod, saithe and ling) and marine mammals. Its presence is integral to the food web in these regions, linking lower and higher trophic levels.

Understanding and minimising these impacts is an important part of delivering an ecosystem-based approach. The fishing industry has taken a number of steps over previous years to try and mitigate against this, for example by using more selective fishing gears, or trialling new tools to reduce bycatch of non-fish species and seabirds. The conservation advice that supports this FMP has identified some impacts and evidence gaps that need to be addressed in order to ensure that the risk posed by pelagic fishing to the wider marine ecosystem is minimised. In particular, conservation advice has flagged the need for an improved evidence base around bycatch levels, with potential action needed in relation to bycatch in pelagic static/drift net fisheries (albeit noting that the majority of pelagic fish caught by UK vessels is from the trawl fleet) and a recognition of the need for greater understanding and identification of potential actions in relation to predator/prey interactions, given the importance of pelagic and semi-pelagic species in the marine food chain. In some cases, action is already being taken on this and there are a range of policies and initiatives already in place or in development across the UK which contribute to this.

Actions

Ongoing and long-term actions (three to five years)

• Monitor levels of bycatch in pelagic trawl fisheries through REM, to improve understanding of risk and to support appropriate management if required.
• Where possible, improve evidence base on the ecosystem role and function of GSS to support an improved understanding of the most appropriate ecosystem-based management approach for these stocks.
• Promote existing good practice within the fishing industry in relation to handling of sensitive marine species and returning them to the sea unharmed, where practical to do so.
• Work with UK experts to consider the ecological role of pelagic and semi-pelagic species in the North Sea and West of Scotland, and how an ecosystem-based approach could be integrated into fisheries management.

Medium- to short-term actions (three to five years)

• Work with ICES to consider further developing ecosystem-informed assessments and ecosystem modelling approaches in the future.

Relevant Fisheries Act objectives

The relevant Fisheries Act objectives are the:

• sustainability objective
• ecosystem objective
• bycatch objective

Policy 5: Reduce the impact of fishing on climate change and support the fishing industry to adapt to the impacts of climate change

Rationale

This policy is in accordance with section 4.1 (‘Delivering Sustainable Management of Fisheries - Our approach to Fisheries Management’) of the JFS.

The evidence base underpinning climate change and fisheries is developing, and more work is needed to fully understand a) how carbon emissions can be reduced in a sustainable way, and b) the likely impacts of climate change on fish stocks and fishing communities and the scale / nature of change required to adapt.

It is likely that there are going to be changes to the distribution and size composition of the GSS stock as a result of climate change, but the overall impacts are not yet fully understood. The actions below consider how we can build and use an improved evidence base in order to make informed decisions on management action for the future.

In comparison to other forms of food production, fishing can provide a high-protein and low carbon method of production and offers opportunities to provide food security particularly as we move towards net zero. However, we also know that fishing vessels need to reduce fuel emissions in the future although there are no ready solutions in place for fishing vessels to currently utilise.

As our evidence base grows, we will understand better the specific impacts of climate change on GSS, and the scale of change required to support vessels fishing for GSS to reduce their emissions and also adapt to changes in the GSS stock and general fishing conditions. These actions are likely to adjust over time and will become more refined.

Possible measures which could support this are already in development and / or being delivered. The FMP will support these measures, although it is not directly introducing or delivering them.

Actions

Medium to long term actions (three to five years)

• Collaborate across the UK and internationally on further evidence and analysis to understand the impact of climate change on GSS and develop options for how the GSS fishery may adapt to climate change impacts in the future.
• As additional information becomes available in relation to climate change, explore the implications for this stock.

Relevant Fisheries Act objectives

The relevant Fisheries Act objectives are the:

• sustainability objective
• climate change objective
• Ecosystem objective