Management of herring in Skagerrak and Kattegat is partly effective. Scientific advice recommends there should be no herring fishing in this area to protect the highly depleted Western Baltic Spring Spawning herring.North Sea Autumn Spawning (NSAS) herring is caught by the EU, UK and Norway. There is no shared management plan, but there is a joint agreement between the three parties on setting catch limits (Total Allowable Catches, TACs).The fishery is divided into four different components, with TACs and advice tailored to each one. These are:A-fleet: directed herring fisheries for human consumption, in the North Sea and eastern English Channel (ICES areas 4 and 7d)B-fleet: bycatch by industrial sprat, Norway pout and sandeel fisheries in the North SeaC-fleet: directed herring fisheries for human consumption, in the Skagerrak and Kattegat (ICES area 3a)D-fleet: bycatch by industrial sprat, Norway pout and sandeel fisheries in the Skagerrak and KattegatThere is separate management advice for A&B fleets and C&D fleets, therefore they are rated separately. This rating covers C&D fleets. The rating for A&B fleets can be found here.Despite the scientific advice for no targeted herring fishing in this area, TACs are still set. In 2023 the TAC for the C-fleet was set at 23,250t and D-fleet was 6,659 tonnes. Management is not, therefore, following scientific advice.However, total catches of NSAS herring have been too high. Catches have consistently exceeded TACs by 6% on average from 2020 – 2024. Catches have been below advice since 2020 averaging around 97% of advice, excluding 2023, when catches were slightly above advice. However, as the total catches include C&D fleet, it is not possible to compare them to the TACs.There are a number of ways for herring quotas to be transferred between areas, fleets and even years. In 2025, ICES noted that it could not assess the effect of this.There are also measures to protect juveniles. There is a Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) of 18cm for the C-fleet (above the size of maturity). Catches below this size must be landed but can’t be sold for human consumption, and so are less valuable. However, catches by the D-fleet also include juveniles because small-meshed nets are used, so total juvenile mortality could be higher than recommended. Juvenile catches are of concern, given the low recruitment to NSAS since 2001 and the resulting downward stock trajectory.Another herring stock - Western Baltic Spring Spawning (WBSS) herring - is caught by the A and C Fleets. WBSS is highly depleted and has a zero-catch recommendation. It is mostly found in area 3a, but also extends into the northern North Sea (4a) during its summer feeding migration.In previous years, it was assumed that C-fleet would catch most WBSS as it is targeting herring in 3a. Scientific advice indicated for both fleets in 3a (C and D) to have a zero TAC, to protect the WBSS stock. However, in 2024 the TAC was set at 22,793 though catches have been limited to 969 tonnes for the Union fleets and 200t for Norwegian Fleets. Additionally, 100% of the herring quota for area 3a could be transferred to the North Sea (A-fleet). In previous years this had been limited to 50%. This has changed fishing patterns and predictions.In 2023, A-fleet was assumed to catch most WBSS herring. It was predicted that around 80% of the total WBSS catches would be taken in 4a, although no figure was given for the actual catch. It was expected that 661t would be taken by C-fleet in 3a. D-fleet is assumed to catch 0t.Herring spawning grounds are generally near coasts and are vulnerable to human activities, especially from aggregate extraction and wind farms. It is important to protect spawning grounds and reduce these impacts.The EU and UK both have fishery management measures, which can include catch limits, population targets, and gear restrictions. However, compliance in the EU and UK has been inconsistent, with ongoing challenges in implementing some regulations. The goal of reaching Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) by 2020 was missed, with less than half of UK TACs in 2024 following ICES advice. In 2024, the EU and UK reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable fisheries by aligning management with scientific advice to gradually approach MSY. However, no new target date has been set for achieving MSY across all fisheries. The Landing Obligation (LO), an EU law retained by the UK post-Brexit, requires all quota fish to be landed, even if unwanted (over-quota or below minimum size). It aims to encourage more selective fishing methods, reduce bycatch, and improve catch reporting. However, compliance is poor, and accurate discard levels are hard to quantify with current monitoring programmes. The UK is in the process of replacing the LO with country-specific Catching Policies.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 North Sea Herring FMP has been proposed, coordinated by the Scottish Government that incorporates 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/collections/fisheries-management-plans#published-fmps].
