Proposed Atlantic Haddock Fisheries Management Plan

Background

Stock

The Rockall haddock stock is considered to be an entirely distinct population from the haddock on the continental shelf of the British Isles, being separated by very deep water which haddock are unlikely to cross. The distinction is supported by different growth and maturity rates, and by a lack of similarity in the timing of large year-classes (annual incoming recruitment).

Rockall haddock is a commercial species of key importance that is caught primarily by the Scottish demersal whitefish fleet, although there is also some bycatch in an Irish squid fleet, and historically haddock were targeted by a significant Soviet (and then Russian) fleet from Murmansk. Fishing methods vary between countries, with the UK fleet almost exclusively using trawls. Other countries use a mix of trawls and longlines.^[5] The figures within this FMP primarily focus on UK fishing vessels, as these are the vessels for which we have accurate data. This is explained further in the fishery section below.

Adults and juveniles are found all across the Rockall Bank, although Rockall haddock will seldom venture deeper than 350 m. Spawning takes place between March and May.

Rockall haddock is a mixed feeder and preys mostly on benthic and epibenthic invertebrates. They are also an important prey species, mainly for other gadoids. Rockall haddock are sporadic spawners which results in occasional high recruitment (the number of young fish entering the population each year). These sporadically large cohorts are a key driver of stock dynamics and lead to dominant year classes in the fishery. Recruitment is irregular, with occasional years of very good recruitment interspersed by runs of years of low recruitment, and as a result biomass fluctuates significantly.

Fishing mortality has declined since the mid-2010s and is estimated to be below FMSY. Spawning stock biomass (SSB) has been above MSY Btrigger in all years since 2014.

Location

This biological stock is found in ICES area 6.b (Rockall, North East Atlantic). For management purposes, there is one TAC area, denoted by ICES code HAD/6B1214. This includes UK and international waters of ICES areas 6.b (Rockall), and international waters of ICES areas 12 (Northern Atlantic) and 14 (Greenland).

The below figures show the location of the ICES areas, along with the known distribution of the Rockall haddock stock within area 6.b, according to the latest available survey data.

Fishery

Fishing for Rockall haddock in UK waters takes place almost exclusively as part of targeted fishery focussing on haddock and may be caught alongside other whitefish species such as anglerfish, ling, megrim and saithe (these stocks are subject to separate FMPs).

There are many shared characteristics between these whitefish stocks, and similarities in where and how they are fished. When considering management action for Rockall haddock as part of this FMP, and in wider management considerations such as the setting of fishing opportunities, fisheries policy authorities consider the role of haddock in the wider marine ecosystem. Many of the issues that are considered as part of this FMP are applicable across other demersal whitefish fisheries at Rockall, and therefore the actions required are often not specific to one particular stock or fishery.

It is important to note that figures provided in this section are based on the latest available data which is from 2022, and whilst this allows us to provide a snapshot of the fishery, it will not reflect any more up-to-date changes in the fishery profile.

Analysis was undertaken of the UK fishing fleet catching Rockall haddock in ICES area 6.b (Rockall, North East Atlantic). Between 2015 – 2021, the UK Fleet accounted for almost 90% of all of Rockall haddock caught in this ICES area, with some annual fluctuations. The remainder was caught by the EU fleet (~9% - predominantly Ireland) and the Russian fleet (~3%).

Analysis of UK fisheries data shows that, between 2015-2022, almost all Rockall haddock caught by the UK fleet in this ICES area was caught using demersal trawls (>95%), with only a small amount (<5%) caught using seine nets. In 2022, trawls caught 100% of the Rockall haddock catch.

Rockall haddock landed value has been relatively stable at around the £6 million mark, with some degree of annual fluctuation. 2019 is an exception, which saw landed value spike to £10 million due to a sharp increase in the tonnage landed (from ~3,500t to 6,500t). Value landed returned to the £6 million mark post – 2019, despite tonnages decreasing back to pre – 2019 levels of 3,500t. This decrease in tonnage has been offset by an increase in the price per tonne (PPT) of the species. Typically between £1,300 - £1,500 2015 – 2020, the PPT shot to £1,700 in 2021 and over £1,800 in 2022.

The vast majority of Rockall haddock caught between 2015-2021 by the UK fleet was landed into the UK, with less than 1% being landed outwith the UK. The main landing districts for Rockall haddock in the UK were in the North of Scotland, with Ullapool landing ~75% and Wick landing ~11%. For the ports within these districts, Rockall haddock is not a significant stock, typically representing 3% or less of the ports total landed value. The exception to this is Ullapool, for which the species represented 25% of the ports total landed value. The district of Ullapool was responsible for the employment of 140 fishers in 2022^[6] and, whilst the derived impact of Rockall Haddock on Ullapool’s employment is unclear, it is evident that the species is somewhat significant in supporting seasonal fishery-related employment within the district.

For the fleet groups targeting Rockall haddock, the stock does not represent a significant catch in terms of the proportion of tonnage or landed value. Despite catching around 90% of the total Rockall haddock catch between 2015 – 2022, the species accounted for only 8% of the North Sea and West of Scotland demersal over-24m’s tonnage, and 6% of the fleet’s landed value. The species makes up even less of the other major fleets tonnage and landed value, typically representing 1-2% of the tonnage and 1% or less of the landed value.