There is no management plan for North Sea plaice, and discard rates remain high. However, some measures are in place and have successfully recovered the stock.Plaice in the North Sea and Skagerrak is managed under a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) system, aligned with ICES’ Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) approach since 2017. For both subarea 4 (North Sea) and subarea 20 (Skagerrak), TACs have consistently been set below scientific catch advice. These limits also account for expected migration between stocks in the North Sea, Skagerrak, and the eastern English Channel (Area 7d). Actual catch levels have also remained below advice and have declined in recent years. This is partly due to a reduction in the number of vessels targeting plaice, resulting in low TAC uptake.A recovery plan initiated in 2007 successfully reduced fishing pressure on North Sea plaice to sustainable levels, leading to a significant increase in stock size. However, discard rates remain high – rising from 40% in 2014 to 63% in 2023, with an estimated 56% in 2024. Discards include fish below the Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS), currently set at 27 cm in UK waters. This measure aims to protect juvenile plaice from being caught before reproducing, which could otherwise reduce overall stock biomass.Although assessments assume zero survival of discarded fish, plaice is frequently exempt from the Landing Obligation (LO) under survival exemptions in many fisheries. Additional conservation efforts in UK waters include gear mesh size regulations:Otter Trawls:ICES Area 4b: 100mm mesh cod-end.ICES Area 4c: 80mm mesh cod-end.Beam Trawls:South of 55˚N: 80mm mesh cod-end.55˚N to 56˚N: 100mm mesh cod-end.North of 56˚N: 120mm mesh cod-end.Further technical measures include the Plaice Box - a closed area established in 1989. It restricts vessels using towed gear with engine power over 300 horsepower and enforces a maximum aggregated beam length of 9m. This 9m limit is also in place within the UK’s 12 nautical mile zone.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 Southern North Sea and Eastern Channel mixed flatfish FMP has been proposed, coordinated by Defra, which incorporates part of 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/publications/southern-north-sea-and-eastern-channel-mixed-flatfish-fisheries-management-plan-fmp
