Seabass

The sea bass stock in this region is harvested sustainably and fully fished.Stock assessments are conducted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). Following a benchmark in 2025, the latest assessment incorporates catch reallocation across connected ICES divisions and recruitment survey data. These methodological updates have improved the accuracy of the assessment and reduced some uncertainties. However, recreational catches are estimates based on surveys, and therefore continue to have a considerable level of uncertainty.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) and precautionary reference point (Bpa) to ensure reproductive output is maintained. Because BMSY is not defined, the Good Fish Guide applies its own definition of 1.4 x MSY Btrigger.Since 1985, F has steadily increased, eventually exceeding FMSY (0.17) between 2011 and 2015, with a peak of 0.22 in 2013. This was followed by a sharp decline after emergency measures were implemented, bringing F back below FMSY, where it fluctuated between 0.08 and 0.11. In 2024, F is estimated at 0.1, which is below FMSY, and therefore indicates that the stock is currently harvested sustainably.Between 1985 and 2010, spawning stock biomass (SSB) varied between 22,000 and 33,000 tonnes. However, a decline begun in 2010, with SSB falling below MSY Btrigger (19,339 tonnes) in 2015 and then below Blim (15,666 tonnes) from 2016 to 2018. After this period of low biomass, the stock began to recover, exceeding MSY Btrigger in 2021. The current estimate for 2025 is 25,234 tonnes, which is between MSY Btrigger and the BMSY proxy (27,075 tonnes). Therefore, the stock is considered to be fully fished.Fishing pressure is not the only factor influencing bass stock status, recruitment variability is also a driver. Throughout the time series, annual recruitment has fluctuated significantly. Over the past 15 years, the highest recorded recruitment occurred in 2014, reaching approximately 116 million individuals. This figure declined sharply to about 29 million in 2024. That said, the 2025 estimate (~69 million) is higher than the average of the previous three years (2022-2024), which was ~43.4 million.For 2026, ICES advises that when the maximum sustainable yield approach is applied, total catches (both commercial and recreational) should not exceed 5180 tonnes. This represents a substantial 97.7% increase from the 2025 catch advice, reflecting an updated stock assessment following the recent benchmark. It is important to note that some catches within this region are attributable to the neighbouring Bay of Biscay stock, meaning that management decisions in 4b-c, 7a, and 7d-h, can also affect the population in 8a-b. While migration has been accounted for in the new assessment, uncertainties remain regarding stock structure and connectivity among populations.

Some, but not all, appropriate management measures are in place for the sea bass stock in this region, with both fishing pressure and biomass now at sustainable levels. However, there remains concerns around a lack of recreational fishing data, discard rates, as well as unregulated or unreported catches.After spawning stock biomass (SSB) began declining in 2010, emergency measures were introduced in 2015, followed by the adoption of a precautionary management plan by one of the relevant authorities. These interventions appear to have successfully reduced fishing pressure, as fishing mortality (F) dropped below FMSY in 2016 and has remained below this threshold. Consequently, SSB has recovered to above MSY Btrigger.The UK and EU have commercial access to bass fisheries within each other’s exclusive economic zones (EEZs). For 2025, the agreed management measures for this region include:Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS): 42cmClosed Season: 1 February – 31 MarchGear Restrictions:Hook & Line – PermittedTrawls & Seines – Bycatch only (maximum 10% catch per trip)Fixed nets – Bycatch onlyAll other gears (including drift nets) – ProhibitedAnnual Catch Limits Per Vessel:Hook & Line – 6.8 tonnesTrawls & Seines – 3.8 tonnesFixed nets – 1.8 tonnesMinimum Mesh Size: 100mm (fixed gill nets)Track record (2015-2016) required for UK and EU vessels using nets or hook & line.Recreational Bag Limit: 2 bass per day.In the UK, a Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for bass was introduced in 2023 to generate evidence, inform decision-making, and support long-term sustainability of the stock and fishery. Beyond the EU-aligned measures, the UK has additional management measures, including local byelaws through IFCAs and the Welsh Government:Closed Areas:Southwest approaches (7bc, 7j-k)Irish Sea and Celtic Seas (7a, 7g) beyond the 12 nm UK limit.Effort Limits for Shore-Based Nets:NWIFCA – 26 netsNEIFCA – 5 netsD&SIFCA – 1 netWelsh zone – up to 50 netsMonitoring, adaptability, and enforcement remain crucial for the continued success of bass management. However, one consequence of the measures implemented since 2015 has been an increase in discards. In 2024, an estimated 35.8% (716 tonnes) of commercial catches were discarded. Discards can be due to fish being undersized (juveniles) or exceeding catch limits of specific gear types. Juvenile bass survival is vital for sock stability, and although Bass Nursery Areas (BNAs) offer some protection, they remain a large proportion of discards.Estimates from ICES likely underrepresent actual discarding and catches due to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activity. Unpowered vessels may operate outside of catch limits, landing substantial amounts of seabass, but documentation is limited. Furthermore, the high catch limit for hook and line gear and lower limits for other gears may encourage misreporting to exploit unused quota.Sea bass are not subject to Total Allowable Catches (TACs), but since 2019, total commercial and recreational catches have remained below advised limits. In contrast, catch levels from 2015 to 2018 were above advice, and the zero-catch advice issued in 2017 was ignored by industry.The EU Multiannual Plan (MAP) for Western Waters applies to this stock and is considered precautionary by ICES. Its objective is to ensure the sustainable exploitation of stocks based on the best available scientific information.For improved management and sustainability, improvements in data collection for both commercial and recreational catches are needed. Recreational removals are poorly quantified, and discarding continues to be underestimated. Enhanced gear selectivity and spatial management are necessary to reduce undersized catches. Continue illegal targeting of sea bass threatens stock recovery and must be addressed to safeguard the fishery.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 Bass FMP that incorporated this stock has been published in December 2023 and was prepared by Defra and the Welsh Government. 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].

Otter trawls are within the second most popular gear type for catching bass in the region. However, there is concern for the level of benthic disturbance and the bycatch of ETP species, including marine mammals, sharks, and rays.In 2024, sea bass in the region was primarily caught using lines (42%) and bottom trawling methods (29%), including otter trawls. The UK landed the largest share of the catch at 672 tonnes (47.4% of the total), followed by the French fleet with 494 tonnes (34.8%).Otter trawls, as a type of demersal gear, can cause substantial physical impacts on the seabed due to the penetration and abrasion caused by gear contact. The impact of trawling on the seabed depends on the where trawling happens, and on what scale. Habitats naturally exposed to tidal and wave disturbances tend to be more resilient, whereas previously untrawled or sensitive areas are more vulnerable to new disturbance.Bycatch data for UK and EU fisheries remains limited, primarily due to low levels of monitoring and observer coverage. However, existing evidence shows that demersal trawls, including otter trawls, in the Northeast Atlantic are associated with bycatch of endangered, threatened, or protected (ETP) species such as spurdog, common dolphins, and the common skate complex. Management of these bycatch species should be guided by scientifically defined sustainable exploitation limits or precautionary threshold when data is limited.Management measures to prevent overfishing of bass include gear specifications, temporal or spatial closures, and a Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS). Strategies to reduce habitat damage and mitigate bycatch can involve effort controls, gear prohibitions, and designated closed areas. These management measures may be implemented within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), some of which already prohibit the use of bottom-towed gears to protect benthic features. However, not all MPAs designated for benthic features have this level of protection yet.To improve monitoring and reporting of fishing activity, MCS would like to see remote electronic monitoring (REM) with cameras implemented, used and enforced.

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