27 - Atlantic, Northeast,
8: Bay of Biscay,
5: Iceland and Faeroes Grounds,
7: Irish Sea, Porcupine Bank, English Channel, Bristol Channel, Celtic Seas, West and Southwest of Ireland,
4: North Sea,
6: Rockall, West of Scotland,
3: Skagerrak, Kattegat, Transition Area, Baltic Sea
Caught by
Bottom trawl (beam)
Rating summary
For more information about this rating please visit: http://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/red-gurnard.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.
This stock is data limited. There is no concern for the biomass of red gurnard in this area of the Northeast Atlantic. Landings have remained stable, decreasing slightly, there is no immediate concern for fishing pressure.Route 2 scoring has been applied to this rating owing to the lack of a reference points for biomass or fishing pressure. Red gurnard is considered to have medium resilience to fishing pressure.Survey data shows an increasing trend in red gurnard biomass until around 2009 following which it has fluctuated without a trend. Therefore, there is no concern for the biomass.Landings information for red gurnard is of limited value as it is not always reported to species level, but rather as mixed gurnards or misidentified as tub or grey gurnard. However, reporting has improved since 2006. In previous years ICES provided advice on landing limits using a precautionary approach, however since 2022 ICES has provided no advice due to a lack of reliable catch data.Between 2016 and 2021, average landings were 3,308 tonnes, representing 98% of the average advice of 3,377 tonnes. In 2021, landings dropped to a record low of 2,692 tonnes, below the advised level. Since 2022, landings have remained relatively stable with slight decreases, and no new advice has been provided. As a result, there is currently no concern regarding fishing pressure.If future landings were to exceed previous advice levels, as seen in 2020, concern may arise. However, at present, there is no clear evidence of overfishing, and fishing pressure appears to be maintaining stock stability, despite being unknown.The lack of advice and reliable data in the ICES assessment mean it is difficult to estimate the outlook for red gurnard.
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/red-gurnard.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/red-gurnard.php
