Status of fish stocks in relation to Good Environmental Status

Two criteria are applied for assessing Good Environmental Status (GES), as described in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD): criteria 3.1 - Level of exploitation (i.e. Fishing mortality - F) and/or criteria 3.2 - Reproductive capacity (i.e. Spawning Stock Biomass - SSB). The status of the commercial fish stocks in relation to the MSFD criterion 3.3 - Population age and size distribution - cannot be assessed at present since no reference points are available.

Assessed stocks are those for which the level of exploitation and reproductive capacity can be assessed against a reference point in line with the MSFD methodological requirements. Assessed stocks were therefore analysed to identify those for which only the fishing mortality is in GES i.e. F≤FMSY,  those for which only reproductive capacity (SSB) is in GES i.e. SSB≥MSY Btrigger, those for which for both criteria are in GES and those for which either criteria is not in GES.

Number of stocks