European squid

With an increase in European squid in the English Channel, there is currently no concern for biomass. However, landings in the English Channel have continued to rise without limits. Therefore, there is concern for fishing pressure.Route 2 scoring has been applied to this rating owing to the lack of reference points for fishing pressure and biomass. European squid has low vulnerability (19 out of 100).European squid, Loligo vulgaris, is one of the most common squids in the coastal waters of the Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In the Northeast Atlantic, L. vulgaris is probably the main component of long-finned squid landings. In the most northern areas, squid are the main cephalopod resources.In the English Channel, L. vulgaris is presently the most abundant loliginid and its mean biomass in 2016–2018 increased compared to 2013–2015 period. The increase in L. vulgaris biomass supported the recent increase in squid production in the English Channel. Therefore, there is no concern for the biomass. Regional fishery CPUE datasets by species or groups of species need further improvement to be used as a proxy of biomass.European squid is usually landed mixed with Veined squid (Loligo forbesii) and the two species are usually not separated in official statistics. As squid landings are mainly reported at family level, rather than by species, this makes it harder to infer species-specific trends. From 2016-2018, 42-44% of catches of loliginids or long-finned squids (landings and discards) in Northeast Atlantic occurred in the English Channel. In 2016–2018, loliginid landings here were above the long term average. Landings have continued to increase despite a lower biomass of L. forbesii, apparently reflecting an increase of European squid (L. vulgaris) biomass. L. vulgaris biomass is thought to have supported the increase in squid production in the English Channel. This increased catch of European squid could indicate concern for fishing pressure.Overall, UK catches of Loligo species in the Northeast Atlantic have increased 40.4% from 2015 to 2019 (2,362 tonnes to 3,315 tonnes) and the average price increased 16.6% from £3.61/kg to £4.21/kg. Squid fisheries are likely to continue to grow in importance and magnitude as many finfish stocks either are fully or over-exploited. Without adequate stock assessments, there could be concern for future impacts on stocks.

In UK waters, squid fishing is unregulated and no appropriate management is in place for these fisheries.Despite the importance of several species for European fisheries, there is limited management of the fisheries and no routine assessment. Data collection is often either not part of routine fishery data collection or the data are inadequate for assessment. Increasingly, however, cephalopods are seen as alternative target species to replace overexploited finfish stocks, and the growing fishing effort means that management will almost certainly be needed within the next few years.Squid catches are not subject to landings quotas and there is no routine assessment of squid stock(s) to inform management.Management of cephalopod fishing in Europe is largely limited to Minimum Landing Size (MLS) regulations in southern Europe. No minimum legal size applies to squid in this region of the Northeast Atlantic, but in Spain and Portugal a 100 mm MLS for Loligo species is imposed.Trawling is restricted by the present EC regulations on mesh size. However, studies on the selectivity of diamond, hexagonal, and square-mesh codends confirmed that the legal minimum mesh size and codend configurations for demersal trawling are not suitable for regulating fishing on cephalopod species.Loliginid discards are generally negligible and in 2016–2018 represented around 1% of total catches. However, in some areas (7e) discards can range between 2 and 5% (2016-2018).Loss of eggs either due to trawling over spawning grounds or egg laying on fixed gear may be important and there has been evidence of growth overfishing (high catches of very small squid followed by lower catches later in the season) in the Moray Firth.Both the EU and UK have fishery management measures in place, which can include catch limits, targets for population sizes and fishing mortality, and controls on what fishing gear can be used and where. In the EU, compliance with regulations has been variable, and there are ongoing challenges with implementing some of them. There was a target for fishing to be at Maximum Sustainable Yield by 2020, but this was not achieved.  The Landing Obligation (LO), an EU law that the UK has kept after Brexit, requires all fish and shellfish to be landed, even if they are unwanted (over-quota or below minimum size). It aims to promote more selective fishing methods, reduce bycatch, and improve recording of everything that is caught, not just what is wanted. Compliance with the LO is generally poor and actual levels of discards are difficult to quantify using the current fisheries observer programme. In the UK, it is too early to tell how effective management is, as the Fisheries Act only came into force in January 2021. The Act requires the development of Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) (replacing EU Multi-Annual Plans) but there are no details yet on how and when these will be developed. FMPs have the potential to be very important tools for managing UK fisheries, although data limitations may delay them for some stocks. MCS is keen to see FMPs for all commercially exploited stocks, especially where stocks are depleted, that include: Targets for fishing pressure and biomass, and additional management when those targets are not being met Timeframes for stock recovery Technologies such as Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) to support data collection and improve transparency and accountability Consideration of wider environmental impacts of the fishery

Most squid is caught by trawlers. There is a potential for damage to the seabed by trawling, and bycatch of unwanted species.In the Northeast Atlantic long-finned squids are mainly landed by the trawl fleet; 92% 2016–2018.Similar to the northern areas, loliginids are mainly exploited by the trawl fishery in the English Channel, although the seine fleet also makes an important contribution, generating 33% of landings. Squids represent a bycatch of larger demersal otter trawl fisheries targeting finfish in which discarded undesirable bycatch can represent over a quarter of the total catch. This may include endangered, threatened or protected species in certain circumstances.Nonetheless, there has been intermittent interest in directed squid fishing in UK waters over the years and directed fishing on squid occurs (e.g., Rockall Bank (West of Scotland) and in the Moray Firth (North Sea). Where trawlers target squid, a “clean” catch can be obtained, but may also occasionally catch larger amounts of unwanted species (25% of total catches by weight).European squid, Loligo vulgaris, is more or less restricted to the sea bottom during the spawning season but displays pelagic behaviour at other times, e.g. when hunting. It is usually more abundant in water shallower than 100 m, but is found from the coast to the limits of the upper slope (200–550 m).Identification of long-finned squids in the stomach contents of numerous predator species in European seas remains at the level of the family Loliginidae. Nonetheless, L. vulgaris has been identified in the stomach contents of several large pelagic and demersal fish as well as marine mammals.Demersal otter trawling can catch a number of unwanted species, including commercial species, and vulnerable species such as sharks and rays. However, in the North Sea, discard rates of unwanted species are lower than the average (which in general is 30-40% of total catch by weight), at around 16% for commercial species.Demersal otter trawls use doors to hold nets open that penetrate the seabed, resulting in the abrasion of habitat features. The ground ropes, sweeps and bridles of the trawl can have similar abrasive impact. Various closures are in place in the area of this stock, including UK and European Marine Protected Areas. Some MPAs are designated to protect benthic features. If those MPAs were found to be subjected to bottom trawling, MCS would consider it a default red rating unless there is evidence (e.g. environmental impact assessment) indicating the activity does not damage the integrity of the site.

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