Title : 
 Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak ( WGNSSK ) 

 Abstract : 
 The main impression in recent years is that fishing pressure has been reduced substantially for many North Sea stocks of roundfish and flatfish compared to the beginning of the century . Five stocks with agreed reference points ( Category 1 stocks ) have SSB higher than MSY Btrigger ( haddock in 4 , 6.a , and 20 ; plaice in 4 and 20 ; saithe in 3.a , 4 , and 6 ; turbot in 4 ; whiting in 4 and 7.d ) , while the SSB of sole in 4 , sole in 7.d , plaice in 7.d , and witch in 3.a , 4 , and 7.d is just above Blim . Northern shelf cod ( cod in 4 , 6a , 7d , and 20 ) has one substock ( Northwestern ) with SSB above MSY Btrigger , one substock ( Viking ) between MSY Btrigger and Blim and one substock ( Southern ) below Blim . Several North Sea stocks are exploited at or below FMSY levels ( haddock in 4 , 6.a , and 20 ; plaice in 4 and 20 ; saithe in 3.a , 4 , and 6 ; sole in 4 ; sole in 7.d ; turbot in 4 ; whiting in 4 and 7.d ) ; however , two stocks are being fished above FMSY ( plaice in 7.d ; witch in 3.a , 4 , and 7.d ) . All substocks of Northern shelf cod ( cod in 4 , 6a , 7d , and 20 ) are fished above FMSY . An important feature is that recruitment remains poor compared to historic average levels for most gadoids , although there are signs of strong recruitment for haddock and whiting in most recent years . Recruitment in 2022 for flatfish stocks continues on a high level only for witch in 3.a , 4 , and 7d , and for plaice in 4 and 20.WGNSSK is also responsible for the assessment of several data - limited species ( Category 2 + stocks ) that are mainly bycatch in demersal fisheries . The summary of stock status is as follows : Category 1 : Cod ( cod.27.46a7d20 ): Spawning - stock biomass of the Northwestern substock has been fluctuating above MSY Btrigger for most of the time - series and is well above it in 2023 . Spawning - stock biomass of the Viking substock has been fluctuating between MSY Btrigger and Blim for most of the time - series and is just below MSY Btrigger in 2023 . Spawning - stock biomass of the Southern substock has been fluctuating around MSY Btrigger for most of the time - series until 2016 and has been below Blim since 2017 . Fishing pressure has been high throughout the time series but decreased sharply from 2018 and is currently above FMSY for all three substocks . Recruitment has been low for all 3 substocks , with the lowest recruitment in the Southern substock . Haddock ( had.27.46a20 ): Spawning - stock biomass has been low since the mid of the 2000s but has increased sharply since 2019 and is now well above MSY Btrigger , Bpa and Blim . Fishing pressure has declined since the beginning of the 2000s , but it has been above FMSY for most of the entire time - series . Since 2021 , fishing pressure has been below FMSY . Recruitment ( age 0 ) since 2000 has been low with occasional larger year classes . The last 4 year - classes have all been above the recent mean . Nephrops FU 3 - 4 ( nep.fu.3 - 4 ): advice in autumn . Nephrops FU 6 ( nep.fu.6 ): advice in autumn . Nephrops FU 7 ( nep.fu.7 ): advice in autumn . Nephrops FU 8 ( nep.fu.8 ): advice in autumn . Nephrops FU 9 ( nep.fu.9 ): advice in autumn . Norway pout ( nop.27.3a4 ): advice in autumn . Plaice ( ple.27.420 ): The spawning - stock biomass is well - above MSY Btrigger and has markedly increased since 2008 , following a substantial reduction in fishing pressure since 1999 . Currently , fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY . After a strong recruitment ( age 1 ) in 2019 , the recruitment in 2020 and 2021 is estimated to be on an average level . Recruitment in 2022 is the second highest in the time - series . Plaice ( ple.27.7d ): The spawning - stock biomass has increased rapidly from 2010 following a period of higher recruitment between 2009 and 2019 . However , since 2016 , SSB has declined and is now at a level just above Blim . Higher fishing pressure from 2015 onwards and lower recruitment from 2020 onwards contributed to this decrease in SSB . Fishing pressure on the stock is currently situated between FMSY and Fpa . Recruitment ( age 1 ) in 2020 is estimated to be the lowest value in the time - series . The 2021 recruitment was slightly higher . The lack of the UK - BTS survey in Division 7.d in 2022 resulted in high uncertainty for the 2022 recruitment estimate . Saithe ( pok.27.3a46 ): Spawning - stock biomass has mostly decreased since the early 2000s and is currently above MSY Btrigger , Bpa and Blim . Fishing pressure has decreased and stabilized above FMSY since 2000 . Currently , fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY . Recruitment ( age 3 ) has shown an overall decreasing trend over time but slightly increas - ing in 2022 . Sole ( sol.27.4 ): The spawning - stock biomass has fluctuated around Blim since 1996 . Currently , SSB is estimated to be between Blim and MSY Btrigger (= Bpa ) . Fishing pressure has been fluctuating above Flim for a large part of the time series . In 2022 , it declined to levels below FMSY . Recruitment ( age 1 ) in the most recent years has been lower than the long - term average . Sole ( sol.27.7d ): The spawning - stock biomass has decreased since 2014 and is estimated to be fluctuating around Blim since 2017 . Currently , SSB is estimated to be between Blim and MSY Btrigger (= Bpa ) . Fishing pressure has decreased since 2007 and is currently estimated around FMSY . Recruitment ( age 1 ) is estimated to be on a relatively low level since 2012 and the 2022 recruitment is the lowest of the time - series . Turbot ( tur.27.4 ): The spawning - stock biomass has increased since 2005 and has been above MSY Btrigger since 2013 . Currently , spawning stock size is above MSY Btrigger , Bpa and Blim . Fishing pressure has decreased since the mid-1990s , and has been around FMSY since 2012 . Currently , fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY . Recruitment is variable without a trend . In 2021 , recruitment ( age 1 ) is estimated to be the lowest of the time - series . Whiting ( whg.27.47d ): Spawning - stock biomass has increased substantially in recent years and is now well above MSY Btrigger , Bpa and Blim . Fishing pressure has been below FMSY since the early 2000s . Currently , fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY . Recruitment ( age 0 ) has been fluctuating without trend , but the 2019 and 2020 year classes are estimated to be the largest since 2002 . Witch ( wit.27.3a47d ): Spawning - stock biomass is now just above Blim but below MSY Btrigger and Bpa . Fishing pressure has been above Fyear classes since the beginning of the time - series . Currently , fishing pressure on the stock is above FMSY but below Fpa and Flim . Recruitment ( age 1 ) has increased since 2016 . Category 2 : Brill ( bll.27.3a47de ): Catches declined sharply in recent years . The relative exploitable biomass ( B / BMSY ) has been above reference point since the beginning of the time series . Relative fishing pressure ( F / FMSY ) has decreased since 2000 and is currently below FMSY . Turbot ( tur.27.3a ): Catches peaked in the late 1970s and early 1990s and have been more stable in recent years . The relative exploitable biomass ( B / BMSY ) has been above reference point since the beginning of the time series . Relative fishing pressure ( F / FMSY ) peaked in the late 1970s and early 1990s , and has been relatively low without a trend in more recent years . Currently , fishing pressure on the stock is below FMSY . Category 3 : Dab ( dab.27.3a4 ): rollover advice . Flounder ( fle.27.3a4 ): The stock size indicator has been fluctuating below Itrigger for the past 6 years . Currently , fishing pressure on the stock is below the FMSY proxy . Grey gurnard ( gug.27.3a47d ): rollover advice . Lemon sole ( lem.27.3a47d ): The stock size indicator has decreased since 2016 , but is still above Itrigger . Currently , fishing pressure on the stock is below the FMSY proxy . Striped red mullet ( mur.27.3a47d ): The stock size indicator is well above the Itrigger . Cur - rently the fishing pressure on the stock is above the FMSY proxy . Whiting ( whg.27.3a ): rollover advice . Category 4 : Nephrops FU 32 ( nep.fu.32 ): rollover advice . Nephrops FU 33 ( nep.fu.33 ): rollover advice . Nephrops FU 34 ( nep.fu.34 ): rollover advice . Nephrops FU 10 ( nep.fu.10 ): rollover advice . Category 5 : Nephrops FU 5 ( nep.fu.5 ): rollover advice . Nephrops out of FU ( nep.27.4outFU ): rollover advice . Pollack ( pol.27.3a4 ): rollover advice .