Trend in the status of stocks assessment and the progress made in GES assessment in the North East Atlantic and Baltic Sea since 1945

This figure shows trends in the status of assessed fish stocks between 1947 and 2017, expressed in two metrics: fishing mortality (F) and reproductive capacity (i.e. spawning stock biomass (SSB)). It reflects their average deviation relative to policy thresholds for Good Environmental Status (GES) (i.e. Fmsy and MSY B trigger respectively)*. For fishing mortality, 1 is a target (Fmsy), above which exploitation is unsustainable, while for reproductive capacity, 1 is a precautionary limit (MSY B trigger), below which there is a high risk that it is impaired.

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The figure is based on 81 fish stocks in the North-East Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea, for which F and/or SSB could be calculated against reference points. Both F/Fmsy and SSB/MSY B trigger could be calculated for a maximum of 67 stocks. The value of the metrics is determined by an increasing number of stocks so that part of the trend may be explained by new stocks being introduced into the analysis. From 2013 onward, the suite of assessed stocks remained stable.

* MSY: maximum sustainable yield; MSY B: maximum sustainable yield biomass

Trend in the status of stocks assessment and the progress made in GES assessment in the North East Atlantic and Baltic Sea since 1945

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References and footnotes