Northern prawn

There is concern for the stock levels of the Norwegian Deep northern prawn stock, however fishing pressure is within sustainable limits.Stock assessments are carried out annually by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The most recent assessment was published in 2024 using data up to the same year. The next assessment is expected in 2025.The stock assessment defines reference points for fishing pressure (F) and biomass (B). For fishing pressure, there is a target to keep F at or below Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). For biomass, there is no target. However, there is a trigger point (MSY BTrigger). Below this level, F should be reduced to allow the stock to increase. Because BMSY is not defined, the Good Fish Guide applies its own definition of 1.4 x MSY BTrigger.The populations’ spawning-stock biomass (SSB) significantly declined after 2008 and fell below Blim (a level at which the population is at greater risk of suffering impaired recruitment) for more than a decade, but is slightly above Blim in 2024.The ratio of SSB:MSYBtrigger was estimated at 0.58 for 2024. Because the ratio is lower than 1 it means the stock size is lower than the maximum sustainable yield trigger point. However, B is slightly above the limit (Blim ≤0.6) before the population might crash (SSB2024/Blim = 1.05). Therefore, there is concern for stock levels.Fishing mortality (F) has been above maximum sustainable yield (FMSY - 1) since 2007. However, in 2023 the ratio of F:FMSY was 0.75, dropping below 1, therefore F is below FMSY and therefore is being harvested sustainably.Due to a revision of reference points, reduced SSB, increased fishing mortality, as well as, a downward revision of incoming recruitment compared to last year, the catch advice for 2024 is 11.1% less than the 2023 catch advice. When the EU/Norway long-term management strategy (LTMS) is applied, catches should be no more than 4,557 tonnes from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.

This rating is currently under review.

This rating is currently under review.

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