Black bream

Black bream is a data limited species in the English Channel. There is concern for the biomass, but no concern for fishing pressure.Route 2 (data limited) scoring has been applied to this rating due to the absence of a stock assessment and biomass reference points. Black bream in the English Channel is considered to have medium resilience to fishing pressure, but their stock status remains unknown. Although black bream abundance along the south UK coast and in the southern North Sea has increased over the past century, this is more likely a result of climate-driven range shifts with rising sea temperatures rather than genuine stock growth.Black bream is vulnerable due to its life history. During the spawning season, from April to July, adults form inshore aggregations and seek out specific habitats – level bedrock with a thin layer of gravel or sand – to form nests. These nests are sensitive to disturbance, and habitat degradation can negatively impact recruitment. There is also evidence of nest site fidelity in black bream, meaning adults return to the same spawning areas annually. This behaviour leads to spatial structuring and a basis for genetic differentiation within the English Channel population. As a result, there is an increased risk of local depletion and potential loss of niche adaptations, especially as fishing effort is greatest during the spawning season.Black bream are also protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning all individuals are born female and transition to male at a certain size and age. Fishing pressure is skewed towards larger males, yet these mature males are crucial in black bream reproduction as they guard nests of fertilised eggs. Their removal can reduce recruitment by leaving eggs vulnerable to predators and smothering. Given these vulnerabilities and the lack of biomass indicators, there is concern for black bream biomass in the English Channel.Black bream are caught by both commercial and recreational fisheries. In 2023, approximately 491 tonnes were captured cross the UK, with 36% landed by commercial vessels, 23% kept by recreational fishers, and 41% returned by recreational fishers. Recreational removals in 2023 were estimated at 114 tonnes, slightly above the 2016-2023 average of 102 tonnes, but below the 2021 peak of 133 tonnes. Over this period, an average of 63.6% of recreationally-caught fish were released, and the remainder removed. Commercial landings have varied between 2019 and 2023, with a recent peak of 179 tonnes in 2023, well above the five-year average of 123 tonnes. However, since 2018, most landings of ‘black sea bream’ have been grouped into the category of ‘sea breams’, which includes other species and may be responsible for the apparent increase in landings. Although black bream is not a major commercial species, high market prices for sea breams (£22-45/kg) create an economic incentive to target this non-TAC (Total Allowable Catch) species. Despite these pressures, there is currently no evidence to suggest that black bream is overfished, and given their medium resilience to fishing, fishing pressure is not currently considered a concern.

There are few appropriate management measures in place for black bream landed within the Southern IFCA district. These include a minimum landing size and designation as a ‘feature’ of three Marine Conservation Zones.There is little management of black bream within the English Channel. It is not subject to a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and there is no national minimum landing size (MLS).In the Southern IFCA district, black bream is subject to management measures implemented by both the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and Sussex IFCA. Gear-specific regulations include:Pelagic Trawl: minimum mesh size of 16mm in ICES areas 7e and 7d.Drift and Fixed Nets: minimum mesh size of 100mm in area 7e, and 90mm in 7d.Demersal Seine: minimum mesh size of 100mm in both ICES areas 7e and 7d.These mesh size rules are designed to protect juvenile black bream, among other species, by allowing smaller individuals to escape.Although black bream is a minor commercial species, it is highly prized by recreational anglers, and effective management must address both sectors. Across the Southern IFCA district, a Minimum Landing Size (MLS) of 230mm is enforced to protect black bream stocks through ensuring individuals have the opportunity to reproduce at least once.Black bream is also designated feature of three Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in the Southern IFCA district: Poole Rocks, Southbourne Rough, and Purbeck Coast. While this designation enables targeted management of activities within MCZs, there is currently no active regulation of commercial or recreational fishing to protect spawning black bream. One recommended measure is the introduction of a maximum landing size to protect larger, more fecund individuals. This is especially crucial for male black bream, as they are essential in nest guarding and are often disproportionately removed by fishing.Beyond the current Minimum Landing Size, black bream within the Southern IFCA district benefit from the Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw, introduced in 2016. This byelaw prohibits the use of bottom towed gear, including demersal seines, year-round within multiple designated areas of the IFCA district. This helps to protect key habitats used by black bream and reduces fishing mortality from demersal seining within these areas.Management compliance in the EU and UK has been inconsistent, with ongoing challenges in enforcing some regulations.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 engagementBlack bream is included in the Seabream FMP, coordinated by Defra. At the time of writing, it is too soon to know whether proposed management measures will be effective in managing the stock. For more information about this FMP and expected progress and timelines, see [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/black-seabream-fisheries-management-plan-fmp].

Pelagic trawls have minimal contact with the seafloor, However, there is concern for bycatch of marine mammals by this gear type.In 2023, recreational pole and line accounted for the largest share of black bream landings (41.9%), followed by commercial pelagic trawls (32.6%), demersal seines (13.1%), and drift and fixed nets (12.5%). Cumulative landings of ‘sea bream’ species, including black bream, by pelagic trawls totalled 88.8 tonnes in 2023.Bycatch data for many UK and EU fisheries remains limited due to poor monitoring. However, marine mammal is reported in midwater trawling in the Celtic Seas. The main concern is for common dolphins and harbour porpoises, as catches can occur at a scale that may exceed internationally adopted thresholds of acceptability. That said, specific bycatch data for mid-water trawl fisheries targeting black bream has not yet been reported.In terms of physical impacts of pelagic trawling, seabed contact is minimal. While some benthic disturbance may occur, it is currently considered low and not of concern.To improve monitoring and reporting of fishing activity, The Marine Conservation Society would like to see remote electronic monitoring (REM) with cameras implemented, used and enforced.

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