White monkfish

White anglerfish in the Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay is not overfished and not subject to overfishing.Reference points for white anglerfish were established in 2022 for this Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay stock.The spawning stock biomass (SSB) in this area has increased overall from a low of around 21,580 tonnes in 2005 to 55136t in 2022 - well above target levels (MSY BTrigger = 28275t). Therefore, the stock is not in an overfished state. Recruitment has averaged 117 million between 2013-2022. Assumed recruitment in 2021 and 2022 is close to the average at 109.6 and 108.6 million respectively.Fishing mortality (F) has been generally declining since 2013 from 0.25 to 0.15 in 2021. This is below levels associated with Maximum Sustainable Yield (FMSY = of 0.19). The stock is therefore not subject to overfishing.ICES advises that when the MSY approach is applied, catches in 2023 should be no more than 34,476 tonnes. The new methodology, based on the benchmark, has changed the estimated fishing mortality and recruitment estimates altering catch advice.

There is no management plan for white monkfish in the Celtic Seas (South) and Bay of Biscay, but some measures are in place, which are partly effective in managing the stock. The EU multiannual plan (MAP) for stocks in in the Western Waters and adjacent waters applies to this stock. There is no agreed shared management plan with the UK for this stock. ICES precautionary approach is applied to catch advice. In 2022 reference points for white anglerfish were established for this Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay stock using a category 1 assessment, providing more robust estimates of stock status and fishing pressure. Management of the stock under a combined TAC (catches of two anglerfish species) prevents effective control of single-species exploitation rates and could lead to overexploitation of either species. Both species of monkfish, otherwise known as anglerfish: white anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius) and black-bellied anglerfish (Lophius budegassa), are taken in a mixed fishery, mainly with hake, megrim and Nephrops. The two anglerfish species are not totally separated in the landings, and landings are generally reported for the two species combined (L. piscatorius and L. budegassa). The combined landings are then split into species at a national level, based on the species composition in the sampling data. A single total allowable catch (TAC) covers both anglerfish species, and species-specific landings are estimated by ICES, whereby black-bellied anglerfish account for 29% of landings between 2019-2021, and white anglerfish make up the rest. ICES considers that management of catches of the two anglerfish species, under a combined species TAC prevents effective control of the single-species exploitation rates and could lead to the overexploitation of either species. However, currently the stock size of both species is increasing and neither species appears to be at risk of over-exploitation. Since 2019, the combined TAC has been set in line with advice, prior to this, between 2015-2018, the TAC was set 13% above advice. Compliance to the TAC is high, and according to ICES estimations, landings of both species together averaged 68% of the combined TAC from 2019-2021.There is evidence of considerable potential for long-distance migration and it is not clear whether this stock definition (Subarea 7, Divisions 8a-b, 8d) is appropriate. Because there is currently insufficient information to change the stock boundaries, the current stock definition remains unchanged. This presents a number of issues for management. There is no minimum landing size for monkfish (anglerfish).White anglerfish reaches maturity at around 62 cm, which corresponds approximately to 4 years. They are estimate to mature at around 80 cm (5 years) in Irish waters. Catch by number is generally highest at ages 1 or 2, and catch by weight is highest at ages 3-5. As the stock is assumed to mature at age 5, these fish are being caught before they have had chance to reproduce. EU Council Regulation (No. 2406/96) laying down common marketing standards for certain fishery products fixes a minimum weight of 500 g for anglerfish. Discards accounted for 7% of the total catch in 2021. Most discards are immature fish aged 1. Council regulation (EC) No. 1954/2003 established measures for the management of fishing effort in biologically sensitive areas west of south-west of Ireland (Divisions 7b, 7j) and in the Celtic Sea (Divisions 7g, 7h), whereby effort must not exceed the average annual effort from 1998-2002. A Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) which was established in April 2017, South-West England, has made some good progress in tackling some of the main weaknesses in this fishery: reducing discard through Project 50%, and looking into improving understanding of catch composition and survivability of the two anglerfish species. The FIP covers both species of anglerfish, being caught by gillnet, trammel nets and bottom trawling. FIP catches account for ~18% of total catches. The comprehensive FIP is in advanced progress at stage 5, with a projected end date of April 2024, following Brexit and Covid-19 impacts (FIP. 2022).For more information about this fishery in Cornwall, see: https://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fish-guide/monkfish-white.phpBoth the EU and UK have fishery management measures in place, which can include catch limits, targets for population sizes and fishing mortality, and controls on what fishing gear can be used and where. In the EU, compliance with regulations has been variable, and there are ongoing challenges with implementing some of them. There was a target for fishing to be at Maximum Sustainable Yield by 2020, but this was not achieved. The Landing Obligation (LO), an EU law that the UK has kept after Brexit, requires all quota fish to be landed, even if they are unwanted (over-quota or below minimum size). It aims to promote more selective fishing methods, reduce bycatch, and improve recording of everything that is caught, not just what is wanted. Compliance with the LO is generally poor and actual levels of discards are difficult to quantify using the current fisheries observer programme. UK administrations are in the process of replacing the landing obligation with country-specific Catching Policies. In the UK, it is too early to tell how effective management is, as the Fisheries Act only came into force in January 2021. The Act requires the development of Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) (replacing EU Multi-Annual Plans). FMPs are currently in development, but the scope of them remains unclear. They have the potential to be very important tools for managing UK fisheries, although data limitations may delay them for some stocks. MCS is keen to see publicly available FMPs for all commercially exploited stocks, especially where stocks are depleted, that include: Targets for fishing pressure and biomass, and additional management when those targets are not being met, based on the best available scientific evidence Timeframes for stock recovery Improved data collection, transparency and accountability, supported by technologies such as Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) Consideration of wider environmental impacts of the fishery

Habitat impacts from beam trawling include abrasion and smoothing, as the fishing gear makes contact with the seabed. There also may be bycatch of endangered, threatened or protected species.Monkfish or white anglerfish is caught by beam trawling in the Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay. Anglerfish are an important component of mixed fisheries, mainly caught with hake, megrim and Nephrops, but also sole, cod, and plaice. The fishery for anglerfish developed in the late 1960s. In recent years, France has taken the vast majority of black-bellied anglerfish (L. budegassa) landings; followed by Spain, Ireland and the UK. The majority of white anglerfish is consistently taken by demersal otter trawling, targeting demersal fish; accounting for 63.8% of catch in 2021. Gillnets (16.3%), beam trawls (4.4%) targeting demersal fish, otter trawls targeting Nephrops (which tend to be further inshore and shallower) (2.7%) and other fisheries (unspecified) (2.7%) also contributed to catch. Anglerfish are most abundant at depths of 200 - 500 m, and are taken both offshore and inshore. Juveniles are mainly found offshore in the western Celtic Sea and sometimes in the Bay of Biscay.Beam trawls have the potential to take relatively high quantities of bycatch including fish sensitive species and those of conservation concern. Demersal elasmobranchs and occasionally endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species (e.g. sharks and rays) are caught by trawlers. The common skate and spurdogs, are caught as bycatch in demersal trawl fisheries within the Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay ecoregions, and deep-water sharks are reported to being caught in the mixed deep-water trawl fishery in the Celtic Seas. Therefore, interactions with Endangered, Threatened or Protected (ETP) species are considered within this fishery. Beam trawling is not a well-targeted fishing activity, with poor selectivity and the potential to catch a wide variety of non-target species. The fishery has bycatches of anglerfish, cod, haddock, and whiting, but levels are unknown. A number of areas are closed to fishing at certain times of the year, e.g. the Trevose box, an areas of sea around 11,400 square miles extending from Trevose head in Cornwall to the Gower peninsular in South Wales from January to March. This is the spawning period for a number of demersal stocks, while it is primarily intended to reduce catches of spawning cod, other stocks are likely to benefit. However, beam trawlers have been allowed to fish there since 2005.Anglerfish are ambush predators and feed opportunistically on passing prey, which is attracted using a fleshy lure on the illicium. The diet is dominated by fish and, to a lesser extent, cephalopods. Small gadoids have a relatively high importance in their diet. There are no reports of predators that specifically target anglerfish in European waters. Indirect predation by seals of netted fish is common though and seals may prey directly on anglerfish as well. There have been reports of anglerfish being predated upon by sperm whales, and juvenile fish by large cod.Beam trawls interact with the seabed, potentially modifying bottom topography including damage and removal of some biogenic features and interacting with vulnerable marine habitats and benthic communities. However, the risk of additional damage to vulnerable marine habitats is likely to be reduced given that most of the footprint of the gear occurs on core fishing grounds. In the Celtic seas beam trawlers operate on sandy grounds, where the seabed is suitable for beam trawling, and where sole, anglerfish, cuttlefish, and megrim are abundant. There are several areas of deep-water seabed on which all bottom trawling is banned to protect vulnerable deep-water habitats within the Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay. EU vessels are required to report significant catches of corals and sponges to assist mapping these communities, and must move fishing operations at least 2-miles when they are encountered.UK regulations to reduce the impacts of fishing on marine habitats and wider species are under development, in the meantime most EU regulations have been adopted. Under EU legislation, bycatch species should be managed within scientifically defined or, where data isn’t available, suitably precautionary sustainable exploitation limits. If stocks fall below trigger levels, measures can be brought in such as limits on characteristics or use of gear (e.g. mesh size, depth); time/area closures; and minimum conservation reference sizes.Habitat protection measures across European waters include Marine Protected Areas. If those MPAs were found to be subjected to bottom trawling, MCS would assign a default red rating unless there is evidence (e.g. environmental impact assessment) indicating the activity does not damage the integrity of the site. EU regulations prohibit bottom trawling below 800m and restrict activities between 400-800m. Spatial management is continually being developed, which will restrict the footprint of this gear on the seabed. However, there remains some uncertainty about the location of some sensitive seabed habitats so these remain at risk.To improve monitoring and reporting of fishing activity, MCS would like to see remote electronic monitoring (REM) with cameras implemented, used and enforced. To reduce the impacts of fishing on the marine environment we would like to see a just transition to the complete removal of bottom towed gear from offshore Marine Protected Areas designated to protect the seabed. We also want to see reduction and mitigation of environmental impacts including emissions and blue carbon habitat damage.

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