Northern Shelf Blue Whiting Fisheries Management Plan

Policies

The blue whiting stock is currently assessed as being fished within safe biological limits, although its sustainability depends on continued adherence to agreed management measures across all participating coastal states. As a widely distributed and jointly managed stock, overall outcomes reflect the cumulative effect of fishing activity across multiple parties. The long‑term management strategy agreed between coastal States provides a framework for sustainable management, but its effectiveness depends on consistent implementation. This FMP therefore focuses on ensuring that UK fisheries operate responsibly within that shared management framework, while supporting continued international cooperation.

As sufficient evidence is available to assess MSY, the FMP must contain policies and actions which at least contribute to restoring or maintaining the stock at MSY. In addition, in accordance with section 5.4 of the JFS, the design and structure of FMPs directly relate to the fisheries objectives identified in section 5.4.2 but may also address wider issues in fisheries management depending upon the specific goals or targets of each plan and may contribute to one or more of the remaining fisheries objectives.

To ensure effective ongoing management of the blue whiting fishery in UK waters, the FMP identifies six policies focussed on domestic and international management priorities. Each policy describes the outcome that is being worked towards, and the actions intended to support the delivery of those outcomes.

These policies are subject to the consideration of the consultation and will be prioritised to ensure realistic and measurable outputs. They were drafted to meet the requirements of section 6(3)(a) of the 2020 Act (policy 1 ) and policies set out in the JFS (policies 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6).

For each policy, the plan sets out:

• a rationale;
• ongoing, short- and longer-term actions;
• how the actions support delivery of the fisheries objectives.

Performance indicators for the FMP are addressed towards the end of this document.

The six policies of this FMP are to:

• Policy 1: Harvest the blue whiting stock sustainably, contributing to maintaining or restoring the biomass above the level capable of producing MSY
• Policy 2: Use the best-available scientific evidence to support management decisions relating to the setting of sustainable fishing opportunities
• Policy 3: Monitor catches of blue whiting and ensure that where possible all catches are counted against quotas
• Policy 4: Identify and support implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management approaches appropriate for the blue whiting fisheries
• Policy 5: Support fishing businesses to deliver socio-economic and cultural benefits for communities
• Policy 6: Reduce the impact of fishing on climate change and support the fishing industry to adapt to the impacts of climate change