Celtic Seas (southern), English Channel (west): Cornwall
Technical location
27 - Atlantic, Northeast,
7f: Bristol Channel,
7g: Celtic Sea (North),
7h: Celtic Sea (South),
7e: English Channel (West),
7c: Porcupine Bank,
7j: Southwest of Ireland (East),
7k: Southwest of Ireland (West),
7b: West of Ireland
Caught by
Net (gill or fixed)
Rating summary
For more information about this rating please visit: http://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/haddock.php
How we worked out this Rating
Stock status
The size and health of a fish population, or 'stock', that is being targeted by fishermen is a crucial indicator of whether a fishery is sustainable. If the stock is too small to withstand fishing, it is at risk of crashing. We look at how big the stock is, and how much pressure there is from fishing, to assess this. The target level that many fisheries aim for is 'Maximum Sustainable Yield' - the most fish that can be caught year after year whilst keeping the population at a healthy size.
Haddock in the Southern Celtic Seas and English Channel is subject to overfishing and is being overfished.Stock assessments are carried out by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The most recent assessment was published in 2025 using data up to 2025. 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.Catches peaked in 2011 at around 30,000 tonnes but have since declined to around 6,350 tonnes.The reproductive capacity of the stock, or spawning stock biomass (SSB), has been above MSY Btrigger, (12,822 tonnes) since 2001. In 2025, it was estimated to be below this level, at 11,964t, but still above the GFG Bpa proxy (11,025t) and Blim (9,227t). The stock is therefore below target levels.Fishing mortality (F) declined from a peak of 0.74 in 2003 to a low of 0.46 in 2020. It has since increased to 0.57 in 2024, above FMSY (0.353) but below the precautionary limit, Fpa (0.708). The stock is therefore subject to overfishing.ICES advises that when the MSY approach and precautionary considerations are applied, there should be zero catch in 2026. This is a 100% decrease on the previous year's advice, which itself was a 31% decrease on the year before that. The decrease in advice is due to decreases in biomass and low recent recruitment.Recruitment of young fish into the stock has been low since 2019, with a historic low in 2022, which is expected to cause the stock size to decrease in the coming years. Recruitment for stocks are becoming highly dependent on individual year classes, therefore is 2025 recruitment is similar to 2022- 2024, it is very possible that stock will remain below Blim, even with zero catch.
Management
Good management is vital to be sure that fishing doesn't cause fish populations to decline. We look at whether regulations follow the best available scientific advice, how well compliance is monitored and enforced, and whether this is effective in maintaining healthy fish stocks.
For more information about this rating please visit: http://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/haddock.php
Capture method
Environmental impacts of fishing vary hugely, depending on the method used and where it's happening. We look at whether the fishing gear being used could have an effect on seabed habitats, and if so, how severe might this be. We also review whether it catches any other species by accident (bycatch), and what effect this might have on those species - especially if they're Endangered, Threatened, or Protected.
For more information about this rating please visit: http://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/haddock.php
