Working Group on Southern Horse Mackerel, Anchovy and Sardine (WGHANSA)

Update (11/12/23): Corrections to author list and participant list (annex 1)

Update (8/12/23): Added additional chapters for stocks covered in WGHANSA-2 meeting

The ICES Working Group on Southern horse mackerel, anchovy and sardine (WGHANSA) assessed the status of anchovy in Atlantic Iberian waters (ane.27.9a; western and southern components) and horse mackerel in Atlantic Iberian waters (hom.27.9a) in the May meeting. The status of anchovy in Bay of Biscay (ane.27.8), sardine in southern Celtic Seas and the English Channel (pil.27.7), sardine in Bay of Biscay (pil.27.8abd) and sardine in Cantabrian Sea and Atlantic Iberian waters (pil.27.8c9a) will be assessed in the November meeting. The status of jack mackerel in Subdivision 10.a.2 (Azores grounds) (jaa.10.a2) won’t be assessed this year, since the advice is provided biannually.

The stock of anchovy in Bay of Biscay (ane.27.8) has been above B_lim since the reopening of the fishery in 2010. SSB in 2023 has been estimated as the second highest of the historical series. Recruitment (age 1 biomass at the beginning of the year) in 2024 is estimated above the average of the time-series. Harvest rates (catch/SSB) have been stable in the last years.

The stock of anchovy in Atlantic Iberian waters (ane.27.9a) is composed by the western component (distributed in areas 9.a North, Central–North, and Central–South) and the southern component (distributed in area 9.a South). The advice is provided for the two components separately for the management calendar from July to June next year. Based on the MSE work developed for each component, the advice is based for the first time on constant harvest rate rules. For the western component, the combined PELACUS and PELAGO acoustic biomass estimate is used as an indicator of stock development and the advice is based on the stock indicator for 2023, multiplied by a constant harvest rate of 0.25, with no biomass safeguard. For the southern component, the relative SSB from an analytical assessment conducted with GADGET is used as the index of stock size development and the advice is based on the stock indicator for 2023, multiplied by a constant harvest rate of 0.5 with a biomass safeguard.

In the last years sardine in the Bay of Biscay (pil.27.8abd) shows a decreasing trend in SSB. In 2023 spawning-stock biomass is estimated below MSY B_trigger, B_pa and above B_lim. Since 2013 the fishing mortality has been oscillating above F_MSY and F_pa, and below F_lim.

The advice for sardine in southern Celtic Seas and the English Channel (pil.27.7) is based on the PELTIC survey biomass index in the total area. The index ratio indicates an increase of 62% in 2023 compared with the two previous years.

The biomass (age 1+) of sardine in Atlantic Iberian waters (pil.27.8c9a) in 2023 is estimated to be above MSY B_trigger, B_pa and B_lim for the fourth consecutive year. Fishing mortality in 2022 is below F_MSY. ICES advice is based on the ICES MSY advice rule. However, the catch options explored for 2024 include several harvest control rules that were assessed by ICES as precautionary.

The SSB of horse mackerel in Atlantic Iberian waters (hom.27.9a) fluctuated from 1992 (the beginning of the assessment) to 2013 and afterwards has increased continuously to historical maximum values in 2023. In 2023 SSB is estimated at 1 214 200 tonnes, well above MSY B_trigger, B_pa, and B_lim. Fishing mortality has been below F_MSY over the whole time-series, with a decreasing trend in the last years. Recruitment shows a decreasing trend from 2017 to 2021 but is still above the average of the time series. The lack of the survey index in 2019 and 2020 is reflected in larger confidence intervals for SSB and recruitment in the last years.

The jack mackerel in Subdivision 10.a.2 (Azores grounds) (jaa.10.a2) is classified in category 5 and advice is provided biannually. The latest advice for this stock was provided last year.