Iceland’s Marine and Freshwater Research Institute has published its advice for quotas to be set for most commercial species for the 2024-25 quota year, which begins on 1st September.
The Institute advises a slim increase of 1% to the cod quota to 213,214 tonnes, and states that the stock index is expected to remain unchanged for the next two to three years, with the arrival of the 2020 and 2021 year classes, which are considered to be below average.
The advice for haddock and saithe remains unchanged at 76,774 tonnes and 66,705 tonnes, while the institute recommends a 14% increase in the golden redfish quota to 46,911 tonnes.
According to the Instutute, golden redfish recruitment has been poor for the past decade, resulting in a reduction to the spawning stock, and the scientists warn that the stock is expected to diminish further so a significant reduction in effort will be needed in the coming years.
The quota advice for deep redfish remains at zero, as the stock is considered to be in a poor state and unlikely to recover in the foreseeable future.
The advice for Greenland halibut is for a 9% reduction to a 17,890 tonne quota, as the stock is below the ideal level although the outlook is for improvement as recruitment has been strong. There’s a recommendation for a 1% increase in the plaice quota to 7878 tonnes, a 12% increase for silver smelt to 12,273 tonnes, a 12% increase in ocean catfish to 9378 tonnes and a 15% increase in tusk to 5914 tonnes.
The only recommendation for a pelagic fishery is the Icelandic summer-spawning herring, with advice for a 12% reduction to an 81,367 tonne quota.
