ICES has recommended a 412,383 tonne quota for North Sea herring next year. The reasoning is that the 2022 year class is considered to have declined.
‘In the stock assessment last year, we thought it was much stronger,’ said researcher Cecilie Kvamme, stock manager for North Sea herring at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research.
‘The decrease is due to the fact that the 2022 year class has been adjusted down quite sharply. For 2025, ICES recommends a quota of 412,383 tonnes, so now we are actually back at the level we were at in 2023. At the same time, it is still above the limit for maximum long-term yield.’
Researchers believe that the spawning stock is declining, and has been for some time. Researchers predict that the stock will fall in 2025 below the level at which action is required.
‘This means that for 2025 we recommend reduced fishing pressure,’ she said.
