Whiting

Celtic Sea whiting is below safe biological levels and there is no precautionary recovery plan in place. Therefore, it receives a critical fail for stock status and is a default red rating.

Stock assessments are carried out by International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The most recent assessment was published in 2025 using data up to 2025. The next assessment is expected in 2026

The stock assessment defines reference points for fishing pressure (F) and biomass (B). For fishing pressure, there is a target to keep F at or below Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). For biomass, there is no target. However, there is a trigger point (MSY BTrigger). Below this level, F should be reduced to allow the stock to increase. Because BMSY is not defined, the Good Fish Guide applies its own definition of 1.4 x MSY BTrigger.

Catches have declined from around 30,000 tonnes in 2004 to around 3,675t in 2024.

The reproductive capacity of the stock - or spawning stock biomass (SSB) - has fallen rapidly from 61,580 tonnes in 2015 to 9,496 tonnes in 2025. It has been below MSY Btrigger (50,818t) since 2016, and below safe biological limits (Blim, 36,571t) since 2017. It is therefore in a severely depleted state, with a high risk of reduced recruitment, resulting in a critical fail.

Catches are declining. In 2024, fishing mortality (F) was 0.53. Remaining above levels associated with maximum sustainable yield (FMSY, 0.375).

ICES advises that when the MSY approach is applied, there should be zero catch in 2026. Advice for 2026 is zero catch because there is no fishing pressure senaerio that would being the stock above Blim in 2027 with at least 50% probability. Additionally, incoming recruitment remains low, and even with zero catch in 2026.

Recruitment of young fish into the stock has been consistently low since 2014, with no signs of improvement.

Some but not all appropriate relevant management measures are in place and appear to be having little effect at keeping the fishery at sustainable levels. There is currently no recovery plan in place. The main concern is that scientific catch advice for this stock is zero, but catch has continued, with additional whiting being removed as bycatch due to the haddock fishery.

Whiting is a caught as bycatch in many fisheries in the Celtic seas, particularly the haddock fishery. Whiting is predominantly landed by France, Ireland, and the UK. The EU has a multiannual plan (MAP) for stocks in Western Waters, which applies to this stock, but the MAP doesn’t contain any whiting-specific measures. It does allow for the fishery to be closed if Blim has been reached, as is the case with this stock. However, the UK is not signed up to the MAP and the fishery has not been closed.

Whiting is part of a mixed fishery with cod and haddock, meaning these species swim together and are often caught as bycatch in each corresponding fishery. Currently the haddock stock has the greatest catch out of these three Celtic Sea species stocks, while the catch advice for whiting and cod are zero. ICES projects that if haddock is fished at Maximum Sustainable Yield, whiting catch in 2025 will be 4,878 tonnes. This is higher than the zero-catch recommendation. Therefore, the haddock fishery should be limited to protect the whiting stock.

The main management measure is a Total Allowable Catch (TAC), which limits how much whiting can be caught. However, the TAC covers all of ICES area 7 (except 7a), which includes two different whiting stocks - Celtic Sea and Eastern English Channel. This means that fleets are not prevented from overfishing the Celtic Sea stock. This is particularly concerning now that the Celtic Sea stock’s catch advice is zero. Therefore, management does not follow scientific advice. ICES recommends alignment between the management areas and stock distribution areas, e.g., separating the TACs for the corresponding areas.

Catches have declined in recent years from over 23,000 tonnes in 2016 to around 3,700t in 2024. In general, they have stayed below TACs. However, total catch has been above advised limits since 2020 with the total catch in 2021 being 40% higher than the advised limit, and 71% higher in 2022. Additionally, in 2024 there were still catches and TACs above 0 despite the zero catch advice. Therefore, management is not preventing overexploitation of this highly depleted stock.

Technical measures include a minimum mesh size (MMS) for beam and otter trawlers in Subarea 7 and a Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) (the minimum landing size) of 27 cm. As whiting mature between 28 and 30 cm, this does not fully protect juveniles. In 2024, estimated discards accounted for 12% of the total catch. This is below the 5-year average. Most discards are small fish aged 1-3. Better selectivity is therefore important to reduce pressure on the stock.

Additionally, the proportion of unwanted catch above the MCRS for whiting has increased to 12% in 2024 from 9% in 2023. There are restrictions to improve selectivity, and modification of gears to reduce bycatch, such as in the haddock fishery. This includes square mesh panels with a large mesh size (110mm in Nephrops fisheries and 100mm in gadoid fisheries). However, it is unclear whether this has reduced catches of small whiting. ICES indicates that the effectiveness of these measures should be monitored.

There are some measures to protect spawning cod, which can be bycatch in the whiting fishery. This includes the Trevose Box, an area between Cornwall and Ireland ICES rectangles 30E4 (removing the part of 30E4 extending into the 6- mile UK limit), 31E4, and 32E4. It is closed to protect cod during spawning season between February and March each year. Evidence suggests that the Trevose closure has been effective at minimising fishing, although there appears to be some Irish fishing activity in the area. However, this area does not appear to protect persistent areas for cod or the highest density of cod throughout the year. Despite this, the closed area does seem to be protecting a persistent hotspot area for whiting. Additionally, whiting catches may also be reduced by closing the inshore ICES rectangles south of the Trevose Head in the Western English Channel during the winter and spring.

The EU and UK both have fishery management measures, which can include catch limits, population targets, and gear restrictions. However, compliance in the EU and UK has been inconsistent, with ongoing challenges in implementing some regulations. The goal of reaching Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) by 2020 was missed, with less than half of UK TACs in 2024 following ICES advice. In 2024, the EU and UK reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable fisheries by aligning management with scientific advice to gradually approach MSY. However, no new target date has been set for achieving MSY across all fisheries. The Landing Obligation (LO), an EU law retained by the UK post-Brexit, requires all quota fish to be landed, even if unwanted (over-quota or below minimum size). It aims to encourage more selective fishing methods, reduce bycatch, and improve catch reporting. However, compliance is poor, and accurate discard levels are hard to quantify with current monitoring programmes. The UK is in the process of replacing the LO with country-specific Catching Policies.

The Marine Conservation Society views Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) with cameras is one of the most cost-effective tools for providing reliable fisheries data and aiding informed management decisions. Fully monitored fisheries enhance collaboration, data accuracy, stock recovery, and reduce impacts on marine wildlife and habitats. However, the full potential of REM may only be achieved when it tracks fishing location and documents catch and bycatch, particularly where vulnerable species and habitats are at risk. As of January 2024, the EU is introducing a Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) mandate for EU vessels, including CCTV cameras on vessels 18m or more that pose a potential risk of non-compliance, within the next 4 years. Across the UK, different approaches to REM are being taken and legislation is expected to be in place across all 4 countries within the next few years.

The Fisheries Act (2020) requires the development of Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) (replacing EU Multi-Annual Plans) in the UK. 43 FMPs have been proposed and are at various stages of development and implementation, these should all be published by the end of 2028. FMPs have the potential to be very important tools for managing UK fisheries, although data limitations may delay them for some stocks. It is also essential the UK governments define and adopt a standardised approach or model across the four nations to a universally defined FMP design, to ensure the consistence, quality and coherence of all the proposal FMPs.

The Marine Conservation Society is keen to see publicly available Fishery Management Plans for all commercially exploited stocks, especially where stocks are depleted, that include:

• An overview of the fishery including current stock status, spatial coverage, current fishing methods and impacts
• Targets for fishing pressure and biomass, and additional management when those targets are not being met, based on the best scientific evidence
• Timeframes for stock recovery
• Improved data collection, transparency, and accountability, supported by technologies such as Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM)
• Consideration of wider environmental impacts of the fishery, including habitat impacts and minimising bycatch
• Stakeholder engagement

A Celtic Sea and Western Channel demersal FMP has been proposed, coordinated by DEFRA that incorporates this stock. At the time of writing, it is too soon to know whether proposed management measures will be effective in managing the stock. For more information about this FMP and expected progress and timelines, see [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fisheries-management-plans#published-fmps].

Most Celtic whiting is caught by otter trawls, which can cause damage to the seabed and may have bycatch of vulnerable species.

Whiting in the Celtic Sea is part of a mixed fishery with haddock and cod, and ICES recommends zero catch for both whiting and cod in 2026.

In 2024, an estimated 3,675 tonnes of whiting were caught, with 3,233 tonnes landed and 442 tonnes discarded. Most landings came from otter trawls (79%), followed by seine nets (15%) and beam trawls (3), while discards were mainly from otter trawls (58%) and beam trawls (34%).

Otter trawl bycatch account for 70 - 80% of the total cod and whiting catches, making them the primary concern. The Trevose closures have reduced fishing pressure but have not improved cod stocks, though they appear to protect a hotspot for whiting and haddock. Overall, the lack of improvement in stock levels of both whiting and cod however, indicates that current measures are not effective at protecting these species.

Demersal trawls, such as otter and beam trawls, have contact with the seabed, resulting in penetration and abrasion of habitat features. The impact of trawling on the seabed depends on the where trawling happens, and on what scale. For example, habitats that are used to natural disturbance through tides and waves are less sensitive to impacts. Areas not used to mobile towed gears are typically more sensitive.

Bottom trawl fisheries in the Celtic Sea have high bycatch of vulnerable elasmobranchs such as blue skate, angel shark, and basking shark, though data gaps remain. Demersal trawls also damage seabed habitats, with sensitivity varying by location. Fishing-induced disturbance has reduced benthic biomass by 5% to 59%, and up to 80% in heavily fished areas. Despite a 35% reduction in effort since 2003, 52% of the region was still bottom trawled between 2018 and 2021. Vulnerable marine ecosystems, including biogenic reefs, maerl beds, and cold-water corals, are highly impacted and slow to recover, 88% of the 400-800m zone and 95% of known VMEs were fished in 2009-2011.

UK regulations to reduce habitat and species impacts are under development, while EU measures are in place but their effectiveness in managing ecosystem-wide impacts is unclear. EU law allows gear restrictions, closures, and size limits if stocks fall below trigger levels, but evidence of success is limited.

Various closures are in place the Celtic Sea, including UK and European Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Some MPAs are designated to protect benthic features. If those MPAs were found to be subjected to bottom trawling, the Marine Conservation Society would consider it a default red rating unless there is evidence (e.g. environmental impact assessment) indicating the activity does not damage the integrity of the site.

Given the important role that MPAs have in recovering the health and function of our seas, the Marine Conservation Society encourages the supply chain to identify if their specific sources are being caught from within MPAs. If sources are suspected of coming from within designated and managed MPAs, the Marine Conservation Society advises businesses to establish if the fishing activity is operating legally inside a designated and managed MPA, and request evidence from the fishery or managing authority to demonstrate that the activity is not damaging to protected features or a threat to the conservation objectives of the site(s).

To improve monitoring and reporting of fishing activity, the Marine Conservation Society would like to see remote electronic monitoring (REM) with cameras implemented, used, and enforced.

To reduce the impacts of fishing on the marine environment we would like to see a just transition to the complete removal of bottom towed gear from offshore Marine Protected Areas designated to protect the seabed. We also want to see reduction and mitigation of environmental impacts including emissions and blue carbon habitat damage.