There is concern for the stock level of brown crab in the Western English Channel and fishing is happening just above FMSY.
Stock assessments for brown crab in England have been carried out approximately every 2-3 years by CEFAS since 2012. The most recent assessment was published in 2024, using data up to 2023. Brown crab is widely distributed in coastal waters of the Mediterranean, Atlantic, English Channel and North Sea. CEFAS defines five Crab Fishery Units (CFU’s) for England: Central North Sea, Southern North Sea, Eastern English Channel, Western English Channel and Celtic Sea.
The brown crab stock assessment uses 35% of virgin Spawner per Recruit (SpR, the ratio of spawning biomass produced by a length class if 35% of the population is fished compared to an unfished population) as the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) level proxy. This is commonly used around the world to estimate the fishing rate likely to deliver MSY. A limit reference point has also been calculated and having fisheries operating beyond this level is considered to carry higher risk to the production of further generations. This value is defined as 15% of virgin SpR.
In 2023, biomass is between the limit and MSY target reference point for females, and there is insufficient data for males. The female biomass has been in decline since 2015.
Fishing mortality has been in decline since 2017 and just above the target reference point for females, but below the limit, and there is insufficicent data for males.
