Blue whiting

Northeast Atlantic blue whiting are not subject to overfishing but fishing pressure is above sustainable limits.Stock assessments are carried out annually by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The most recent assessment was published in 2025 using data up to the same year. The next assessment is expected in 2026.The stock assessment defines reference points for fishing pressure (F) and biomass (B). For fishing pressure, there is a target to keep F at or below Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). For biomass, there is no target. However, there is a trigger point (MSY BTrigger). Below this level, F should be reduced to allow the stock to increase. Because BMSY is not defined, the Good Fish Guide applies its own definition of 1.4 x MSY BTrigger.Blue whiting catches peaked in 2004 at around 2.38 million tonnes and have since declined to a preliminary catch of 1.75 million tonnes in 2025.Spawning stock biomass has been above MSY Btrigger since 1997. It has increased from 2021 (3.7 million tonnes) to a close to historical high in 2024 (5.7 million tonnes). In 2025, SSB was 4,479,189 tonnes, significantly above MSY Btrigger (2,250,000 tonnes) and GFG proxy for BMSY (3,150,000 tonnes). Therefore, the stock is currently not subject to overfishing.Fishing pressure (F) has been above above FMSY (0.32) since 2014 and has continued to increase. In 2025, F was 0.675, which exceeds FMSY by 101%, this also above the GFG proxy for Flim (1.4xFMSY: 0.448). Therefore, fishing pressure is above sustainable limited and is being overfished.ICES advises that when the long-term management strategy agreed on by Norway, the European Union, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and UK is applied, catches in 2026 should be no more than 851,344 tonnes.

Some management measures are in place for Northeast Atlantic blue whiting. However, this stock is fished by numerous countries and there is no joint management plan that covers the whole fishery to prevent overfishing. Catches have been consistently higher than scientific recommendationsThis stock is fished by numerous countries. Of the total catch in 2024, the Faroe Islands accounted for the greatest proportion (24%) followed by Norway (21%), Iceland (18%), Russia (8%) and Denmark (6%), as well as the UK, Greenland and numerous EU countries. In the absence of sharing arrangements, the fishing parties declared unilateral quotas for 2024. There is currently no joint management plan that covers the whole fishery.A long‑term management strategy for blue whiting was agreed by Norway, the European Union, the Faroe Islands and Iceland in 2016, and by the UK from 2021. ICES evaluated the strategy in 2016 and found it to be precautionary. However, the catch advice does not account for persistent implementation failures, particularly repeated overshooting of agreed TACs due to unilateral quota setting. As a result, the strategy, as it is currently applied, may no longer be precautionary. In addition, Russia and Greenland have not agreed to the strategy, increasing the risk of continued overfishing.Catch limits, known as Total Allowable Catches (TACs), are the primary management measure. Since 2022, once formally established, the official TAC agreed by the Coastal States that have signed up to the management plan has been in line with ICES advice. However, because additional countries outside the agreement continue to land fish beyond these limits, total catches have exceeded scientific advice since 2014.Between 2020 and 2024, catches exceeded advice by an average of 27%. In 2025, preliminary ICES estimates indicate a total catch of 1,751,013 tonnes, which is 21% above the advised level. Therefore, management has not been effective at preventing overfishing.The EU and UK both have fishery management measures, which can include catch limits, population targets, and gear restrictions. However, compliance in the EU and UK has been inconsistent, with ongoing challenges in implementing some regulations. The goal of reaching Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) by 2020 was missed, with less than half of UK TACs in 2024 following ICES advice. In 2024, the EU and UK reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable fisheries by aligning management with scientific advice to gradually approach MSY. However, no new target date has been set for achieving MSY across all fisheries. The Landing Obligation (LO), an EU law retained by the UK post-Brexit, requires all quota fish to be landed, even if unwanted (over-quota or below minimum size). It aims to encourage more selective fishing methods, reduce bycatch, and improve catch reporting. However, compliance is poor, and accurate discard levels are hard to quantify with current monitoring programmes. The UK is in the process of replacing the LO with country-specific Catching Policies.The Marine Conservation Society views Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) with cameras is one of the most cost-effective tools for providing reliable fisheries data and aiding informed management decisions. Fully monitored fisheries enhance collaboration, data accuracy, stock recovery, and reduce impacts on marine wildlife and habitats. However, the full potential of REM may only be achieved when it tracks fishing location and documents catch and bycatch, particularly where vulnerable species and habitats are at risk. As of January 2024, the EU is introducing a Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) mandate for EU vessels, including CCTV cameras on vessels 18m or more that pose a potential risk of non-compliance, within the next 4 years. Across the UK, different approaches to REM are being taken and legislation is expected to be in place across all 4 countries within the next few years.The Fisheries Act (2020) requires the development of Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) (replacing EU Multi-Annual Plans) in the UK. 43 FMPs have been proposed and are at various stages of development and implementation, these should all be published by the end of 2028. FMPs have the potential to be very important tools for managing UK fisheries, although data limitations may delay them for some stocks. It is also essential the UK governments define and adopt a standardised approach or model across the four nations to a universally defined FMP design, to ensure the consistence, quality and coherence of all the proposal FMPs.The Marine Conservation Society is keen to see publicly available Fishery Management Plans for all commercially exploited stocks, especially where stocks are depleted, that include:An overview of the fishery including current stock status, spatial coverage, current fishing methods and impactsTargets for fishing pressure and biomass, and additional management when those targets are not being met, based on the best scientific evidenceTimeframes for stock recoveryImproved data collection, transparency, and accountability, supported by technologies such as Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM)Consideration of wider environmental impacts of the fishery, including habitat impacts and minimising bycatchStakeholder engagement

Almost all blue whiting in the Northeast Atlantic are caught by pelagic trawl. Midwater trawls is a relatively low-impact fishing method, with little bycatch and no habitat impacts.Almost all (98%) blue whiting in the Northeast Atlantic are caught using pelagic trawl gear, with the remaining 2% taken by other fishing methods.Pelagic trawling involves towing nets in mid‑water, with little to no contact with the seabed, meaning impacts on benthic habitats are low. Because these trawls are not intended to touch the seabed, their effects on seabed environments are considered negligible.Pelagic trawls are generally species‑specific in operation. However, occasional bycatch of marine mammals, other pelagic fish species, and surface‑dwelling seabirds can occur, particularly during hauling. Overall, reported bycatch levels in the fishery are low.While rare, there have been instances of dolphins and porpoises becoming entangled in pelagic trawl gear. Some cetaceans have been observed following mid‑water trawlers to feed on fish near the nets, which can increase the risk of entanglement, though recorded interaction levels remain low and are not considered to have population‑level impacts.Blue whiting is an important prey species for some whales, dolphins, and Atlantic bluefin tuna. Significant reductions in blue whiting abundance could therefore have indirect effects on these predators.