European anchovy

There is no concern for the biomass of European anchovy in the Northwest African region of the Atlantic. There is also no concern for fishing pressure.The anchovy stock in northwest Africa is found off the coast of Morocco (aka the northern zone, Zone N), and off the coast of Mauritania (aka the central zone, Zone A + B). Catches of anchovy in this area have fluctuated between 20,000 and 50,000 tonnes in recent years.This stock is assessed by the FAO Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish off Northwest Africa. The most recent report was published in 2023 using data up to 2022. It is a preliminary assessment, not yet validated by the Scientific Sub-Committee (SSC) of the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF).The working group has defined reference points for fishing pressure (F) and biomass (B). For fishing pressure, there is a target to keep F at F0.1, which is 90% of the level associated with Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). For biomass, the target is B0.1, which is the value of the biomass corresponding to F0.1. The limit reference points are FMSY and BMSY. The target reference points (F0.1 and B0.1) are more conservative than MSY and were selected because of the inconsistencies of some data sets, and in line with the precautionary approach.Although there is a reference point for biomass, there is no assessment of the current biomass. Therefore, Route 2 (data limited) scoring has been applied to this rating. European anchovy is considered to have medium resilience to fishing pressure.In 2022, F was 87% of the target, indicating that fishing is within sustainable limits. As F is below the target, we do not consider there to be concern for the fishing pressure. The working group defines this stock as "fully exploited", which is defined as: "The Fishery operates within the limits of sustainability. Current fishing pressure seems sustainable and can be maintained". This only assess the stock against F, and does not provide an assessment of B.With regard to biomass, the most recent information was published in 2022. Acoustic surveys have not been carried out in all areas of the stock. However, where surveys were carried out, they show that showed that the biomass of at least part of the stock decreased from 2014-2017 and then significantly increased in 2018 and 2019. However, there have been no comprehensive acoustic surveys in recent years, and no biomass estimate for the whole stock since 2015. A study published in 2023 tested different models to estimate biomass up to 2021 under data limited scenarios. The results suggested that biomass was below BMSY between 2012 and 2018, and has since been above. The study highlighted the need for caution. Based on this, we consider there to be no concern for biomass. We consider it appropriate to use the Route 2 scoring approach to reflect the documented uncertainty.Recent catches peaked in 2020 at 50,629t. They have since decreased substantially, falling to 49,410 tonnes in 2021 and 20,746t in 2022. This is a decrease of about 58% from 2021 to 2022. It is below the 2018-2022 average, which is 32,931t. The working group reports that the stock is highly dependent on environmental factors, is exploited opportunistically and that catches vary considerably from year to year. For this reason, we have not used catches to indicate biomass, although a continued decline could be of concern. The working group recommends adjusting fishing effort to the natural fluctuations of this stock.There are a number of uncertainties associated with this stock. Stock structure is uncertain and better data collection is needed in zone C (south). Anchovies are short-lived, up to 3 years, meaning that abundance is highly dependent on fluctuations in recruitment (reproduction).

Some but not all appropriate management measures are in place. There is a management plan, but it is not species-specific and it does not include catch limits for most of the fishery.Northwest African anchovy is caught off the coasts of Morocco (aka the northern zone, Zone N) and Mauritania (aka the central zone, Zone A + B). Catches have fluctuated between 20,000 and 50,000 tonnes in recent years. Catches are mainly by Morocco, with some by Spain and Mauritania.Stock and management advice is provided by the FAO Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF). Members include Morocco, Spain, the EU and Mauritania. Work has also been underway by CECAF and other management bodies to improve governance and collaboration in the region. Projects have identified the need to tackle IUU, improve regional governance and carry out stock research.The working group has defined reference points for fishing pressure (F) and biomass (B) for the stocks that it assesses. For fishing pressure, there is a target to keep F at F0.1, which is 90% of the level associated with Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). For biomass, the target is B0.1, which is the value of the biomass corresponding to F0.1. The limit reference points are FMSY and BMSY. This is a precautionary approach, which was selected because of the inconsistencies of some data sets.Despite identifying reference points, the stock is data limited and does not provide an assessment of biomass or offer specific catch recommendations. Therefore, the evidence base for stock-responsive management is limited.There is a management plan, which includes licensing, gear restrictions, and bans on inshore fishing (between 1 and 8 miles, depending on location and vessel type). There are some closed areas, and there are catch limits per year and per trip. There is an agreement between the EU and Mauritania in which industrial pelagic or semi-pelagic trawlers and purse seiners are allocated quotas with monthly limits. Until 2023 there was a similar agreement between the EU and Morocco, although this has now expired owing to a territorial dispute. However, all of these catch limits have been applied to the small pelagic fishery as a whole and are not species-specific. Therefore, management cannot respond to stock status to prevent overexploitation. The working group reports that the stock is highly dependent on environmental factors, is exploited opportunistically and that catches vary considerably from year to year. For this reason, it recommends adjusting fishing effort to the natural fluctuations of this stock.There is a small artisanal fishery which is also subject to management measures. It accounted for between 0.03% and 0.16% of total anchovy landings in 2018-2020.Additional measures include a spatio-temporal closure of fishing for small pelagics in Zone B. For EU fishing vessels in the Moroccan coastal area there is a minimum conservation reference size of 12cm with an associated limit of 90 fish per kg. In Mauritania, technical measures include minimum mesh sizes for nets (40 mm for purse-seining), minimum landing sizes (16cm) and weights, restrictions on non-target species (3% industrial fleet), limited access to some areas and restriction or ban of certain fishing gears. Monitoring, control and surveillance systems have undergone improvements in the last decade.A Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) is underway for the Moroccan Anchovy Purse Seine Fishery. It was initiated in 2019 and is due to end in December 2026. It is at Stage 4, indicating that improvements have been made to fishing practices or fishery management. These include a better understanding and management of the artisanal fishery. Ongoing actions include improving stock assessment, developing a harvest control rule, and improving understanding of interactions with vulnerable species.

Anchovy from Northwest Africa is caught by purse seiners off the coasts of Morocco and Mauritania. Purse seining does not generally have an effect on the seabed or protected species.Purse seining involves setting a net around a school of fish, tightening it at the bottom and then hauling it in. It is not designed to make contact with the seabed and therefore habitat impacts are expected to be low. However, there may be a risk of bycatch of vulnerable species. Data on interactions is limited.Management advice for this fishery is provided by the FAO Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF). The scientific sub committee recommends establishing a formal reporting process for bycatch, and coordinating with organisations already working in the area, which include Birdlife and the International Commission on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) for Moroccan anchovy has also made recommendations for better data collection and a management plan to mitigate interactions with vulnerable species.Up to 3% of catches by the small pelagic fleet (by weight) in Mauritania can be bycatch. A 3% threshold also applies in Morocco as long as the bycatch are on the designated list. The list includes tunas, barracuda, squid and bream, and none are considered to be vulnerable. The Institut National de Recherche Halieutique INRH), Morocco's marine research institute, has an observer programme for monitoring fishing activity, although the level of coverage is unclear. Data from 2017 and 2018 showed no interactions with Endangered, Threatened or Protected species.Concerns about bycatch of species such as turtles in this area relate to pelagic trawlers. Reports do not indicate concern for bycatch by purse seiners.Small pelagic fish are often important prey for other species, and therefore their removal can have ecosystem impacts. The Moroccan FIP indicates that anchovy catches are a small proportion of total small pelagic removals. Therefore, the fishery is not considered to have any significant ecosystem impacts.There are bans on inshore fishing (between 1 and 8 miles, depending on location and vessel type). There is also a spatio-temporal closure of fishing for small pelagics in Mauritania. There are some Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Moroccan and Mauritanian waters, on both Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, which include industrial fishing restrictions to protect the artisanal fishery and species such as sharks.A Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) is underway for the Moroccan Anchovy Purse Seine Fishery. It was initiated in 2019 and is due to end in December 2026. It is at Stage 4, indicating that improvements have been made to fishing practices or fishery management. These include a better understanding and management of the artisanal fishery. Ongoing actions include improving stock assessment, developing a harvest control rule, and improving understanding of interactions with vulnerable species.

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