Common ling

What to check for

Location

Cornwall

Technical location

Atlantic, Northeast, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea (North), Celtic Sea (South), English Channel (West)

Caught by

Hook & line (longline)

Rating summary

For more information about this rating please visit: http://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/ling.php

Technical consultation summary

The ICES stock assessment for ling in NE atlantic - areas 3,4,6-9, 12, and 14 suggests that fishing pressure is above the MSY proxy. TAC has historically been set above advice, in recent years catches have not exceeded advice, TACs are not limiting the fishery. Discards are low. Landings in area 7 are low comparitively and decreasing, as are landings to Cornish ports, decrease is most likley due to lack of targetting this species. ICES states that the biomass index is not applicable to area 7 and graph in report (French Southern Atlantic survey & Spanish Porcupine Bank survey) shows decreased biomass. However, there in uncertainty as to whether this is multiple stocks, and therefore the biomass index for the whole stock has been used. F is above MSY. Route 2 data poor - Medium Resilience, concern for F but no concern for B - stock score 0.75