West of Scotland Cod ( Gadus morhua) are mainly taken in a mixed demersal fishery by bottom trawl gears with mesh size 100 mm and greater and is now regarded as a by-catch species.
| 2011 position: | UK share 110 tonnes |
| Last year: | 193 tonnes |
| Landed into Scotland in 2009: | 104 tonnes |
| Value for 2009: | £188,000 |
MSY and Precautionary Approach Reference Points
| Type | Value |
MSY Approach | MSY Btrigger | 22,000 t |
FMSY | 0.19 |
Precautionary Approach | Blim | 14,000 t |
Bpa | 22,000 t |
Flim | 0.8 |
Fpa | 0.6 |
State of Stock and Advice
- Total mortality ( Z) in 2009 was estimated to be high (0.887) and cannot be accurately partitioned into fishing mortality ( F) and natural mortality ( M).
- Spawning stock biomass for 2010 was estimated to be 6200 tonnes.
- Fishing mortality cannot be determined in relation to any of the reference points. The stock biomass is well below both the Precautionary approach reference limit ( Blim) and the level set for achieving maximum sustainable yield ( MSY Btrigger).
- Due to the decline of the spawning stock biomass to very low levels only a zero catch of cod would be compatible with the precautionary approach.
- Fishing advice following the MSY approach calls for catches (mainly discards) to be reduced to the lowest possible level.
Management Outcomes for 2011
At the December 2010 meeting in Brussels, the Council of Ministers decided that the international Total Allowable Catch for west of Scotland cod should be 182 tonnes. The UK quota for 2011 was set at 110 tonnes.
Information Source: ICES advice 2010 ( http://www.ices.dk/committe/acom/comwork/report/2010/2010/cod-scow.pdf).