Dab

Dab in the North Sea is not overfished or subject to overfishing. Discarding is very high (around 93%).Dab is mainly a bycatch species in the demersal fisheries for North Sea plaice and sole. The discard rate is very high, at around 93% of the total catch (average 2022-2024) and survival rates of discards are unknown. Dab is considered an under-utilised species. Under-utilised species are ones that fishers don't catch their full quota of, or they catch them but then discard the fish because there is little market demand.Relative biomass has remained above the MSY Btrigger proxy (Itrigger) of 99.54 since 2010. After reaching a peak of 256.96 in 2016, it has gradually declined, standing at 143.85 in 2024. Despite the downward trend, the biomass remains above Itrigger, and the stock is therefore not considered overfished.Fishing pressure has stayed below the FMSY proxy since 2014. Although dab is primarily a bycatch species and not managed under a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) system, ICES has issued catch advice in most years. The recommended catch limit of 28,238 tonnes for 2023–2025 was not exceeded in either 2023 or 2024. As such, the stock is not currently considered to be subject to overfishing.ICES advises that when the MSY approach is applied, annual catches for 2026, 2027, and 2028 should not exceed 19,767 tonnes - a 30% reduction from previous advice, reflecting the declining biomass index. If discard rates do not change from the average of the last three years (2022-2024), this means landings of no more than 1313 tonnes.

There is no specific management plan in place for Dab. Management of this stock requires some improvement, in particular, reducing the amount of discarding that takes place.Dab is a bycatch species and is generally considered to be underutilised. It is commonly discarded due to low market value and demand.Dab was previously managed under a combined total allowable catch (TAC) together with flounder, but this was removed in 2017 following advice from ICES indicating that the risk of having no catch limits for the dab and flounder stocks was considered to be low and not inconsistent with the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). ICES state that this advice was valid as long as dab remained largely bycatch, with the main fleets catching dab continuing to fish the target species (plaice and sole) sustainably within the FMSY ranges provided by ICES. If this situation changes, or dab is no longer within safe biological limits, this advice would need to be reconsidered.Dab is not currently subject to catch limits and therefore falls outside the scope of the landing obligation. As a result, approximately 93% of dab caught in recent years has been discarded, and there is no official minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) in place. This lack of regulation increases the risk of juvenile dab being caught before they have had a chance to reproduce, which can negatively impact overall stock biomass. Although smaller dab may be discarded, survival rates remain unknown. In UK waters of the North Sea, however, required gear mesh sizes can allow juvenile dab to escape capture:Otter Trawls & Demersal Seines:ICES Area 4b: 100mm mesh cod-end.ICES Area 4c: 80mm mesh cod-end.Beam trawls: South of 55˚N: 80mm mesh cod-end.55˚N to 56˚N: 100mm mesh cod-end.North of 56˚N: 120mm mesh cod-end.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 engagementA Southern North Sea and Eastern Channel mixed flatfish FMP has been proposed, coordinated by Defra, which incorporates part of this stock. 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/government/publications/southern-north-sea-and-eastern-channel-mixed-flatfish-fisheries-management-plan-fmp

Beam trawls have significant impacts on the seabed, including damage to benthic communities and vulnerable marine habitats. They can also have high bycatch, potentially of vulnerable species, including North Sea cod.Landings of dab in the North Sea are caught by beam trawl (38%), otter trawl (34%), seines (9%) and other gear types (19%). Dab is a bycatch species in flatfish fisheries and only an average of 7% of catch is landed.Beam trawls have the potential to take relatively high quantities of bycatch, including those of conservation concern. In the Greater North Sea ecoregion, bycatch from beam trawls can include marine mammals, seabirds, fish, elasmobranchs, and endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species. The common use of smaller mesh sizes in flatfish fisheries contributes to high levels of bycatch, including undersized and non-target species.Bycatch data for UK and EU fisheries is often limited due to insufficient monitoring. However, some North Sea trawl fisheries are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified and do record bycatch. These records, especially where certified and uncertified fleets overlap, can help indicate expected bycatch species. Certified fleets have reported bycatch of vulnerable North Sea cod, with the southern substock below safe biological and reproductive thresholds. In 2023, there was also a marked increase in bycatch of Spurdog - an ETP species. However, stock assessments for Spurdog indicate that fishing pressure is currently below safe limits, and the stock size is above MSY Btrigger.With North Sea cod now under zero catch advice, incidental capture in flatfish fisheries may be contributing to population decline or hindering recovery. To mitigate this, some areas have implemented measures such as the UK North Sea Cod Avoidance Plan. This includes a minimum 120mm mesh size requirement in the Scottish North Sea, seasonal closures to protect spawning stocks, and mandatory relocation from areas where high cod concentrations are observed.Beyond bycatch concerns, beam trawling—particularly with chain-mat gear—can significantly impact benthic communities. Demersal trawls make direct contact with the seabed, causing penetration and abrasion of habitat features. The extent of seabed impact depends on gear type, sediment composition, and the area's natural resilience. For instance, regions that are used to tidal and wave disturbances are less sensitive, whereas areas untrawled areas may be more vulnerable. Beam trawls typically penetrate the seabed between 1cm and 8cm, with heavier gear causing greater disruption than otter trawls.In the Greater North Sea ecoregion, impacts from bottom trawling are variable. Most fishing grounds consist of mud and sand, which are less susceptible to damage than habitats like reefs and seagrass beds. In 2022, it was estimated that 66% of the ecoregion shallower than 800m had been trawled—70% of this from depths of 0–200m and 27% from 200–800m. Areas with the highest fishing pressure include Skagerrak, Kattegat, and parts of the central North Sea.There are Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in this area, some of which are designated to protect seabed features from damaging activities. While this fishery overlaps with some MPAs, the catch from these zones is estimated to be less than 20% of the total effort, and therefore is not assessed within this current rating. Given the critical role MPAs play in recovering marine health and supporting ecosystem function, the Marine Conservation Society urges supply chain actors to verify whether their sources originate from within MPAs. If so, businesses should confirm that fishing operations are legally conducted and request evidence from the fishery or managing authority to ensure activities do not harm protected features or compromise conservation objectives.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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