27 - Atlantic, Northeast,
7d: English Channel (East),
7e: English Channel (West)
Caught by
Net (gill or fixed)
Rating summary
For more information about this rating please visit: https://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/undulate-ray.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.
Undulate ray in the English channel has recovered to a healthy state and is currently being harvested sustainably.This stock was considered depleted since 1990 until a landing ban was implemented in 2009, which lasted until 2014. It has since recovered to a healthy state. Following a stock benchmark in 2022, relative biomass (B) is 1.77. This is above MSY Btrigger and Blim.Fishing pressure (F) on the stock in 2021 was 0.32. This is below FMSY.ICES advises that when the MSY approach is applied, landings in 2023 and 2024 should be no more than 4836 and 4675 tonnes respectively. This advice is substantially larger than the previous advice (2552 tonnes in 2021 and 2022), and it is not known how this will impact discard rates for undulate ray.Small fish (less than 50cm) were not included in the ICES assessment. Any catch of small undulate ray would continue to be discarded with a high survival rate.The stock of undulate ray in the English Channel is managed under a specific total allowable catch (TAC). This precautionary TAC has been increasing since 2016 as the biomass index has increased, however, it is constraining and results in high discard rates (e.g. 93% discarded in 2021). From 2019-2022, the TAC has been 234 tonnes for 7.d and 7.e combined. In 2023, the TAC increased substantially to 3,192 tonnes (with a 33% allocation to the UK).
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: https://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/undulate-ray.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: https://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/undulate-ray.php
