Atlantic halibut

The Canadian fishery on Atlantic halibut in the norht-west Atlantic Ocean is MSCMSC:
Marine Stewardship Council, an independent, international non-profit organization that has developed an eco-label that guarantees well-managed, sustainable fisheries. Fish products that meet the criteria of the eco-label can be identified by the blue MSC logo. certified since May 2013. These fishermen use longlinesLonglines (drifting):
A fishing method whereby a long main line (40-100 km long) with transverse lines with hooks with bait is expanded. The line floats on buoys in the water column. , [bottom trawls], gillnetsGillnets:
A fishing technique whereby passing fish get caught in the meshes with their gills. The net stands vertically on the bottom or hangs on buoys in the water column. The by-catch of species such as porpoises and dolphins is a problem related to gillnets. and [handlines and pole lines (mechanised).

The Atlantic halibut stocks in the north-east Atlantic Ocean are heavily exhausted. There was a stock growth in the southern waters of Norway, but this growth has levelled. The stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period.  is still small compared to the past. The catches in the south of Norway are low.

LonglineLongline:
Also known as line fishing. A fishing method in which lines and hooks are used. fishery has relatively low bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). . In Norway it is prohibited to discard commercial species. This halibut fishery is not known for bycatch of endangered, vulnerable or protected species.

There are no complete [stock assessments] for halibut, which makes stock management more difficult. The management consists of a minimum [landing size], gear regulations and closed seasons (for some methods).

Atlantic halibut is very sensitive to [fishing pressure]. Decades of overfishingOverfishing:
There is so much fish caught that the size of the stock has diminished so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term.  have led to an exhausted stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. . Catch records of the last decades however have shown a growth of the northern stock, despite a small decline in 2013.

Because the Atlantic halibut is high in the [food chain], the depletion of the stock has a large impact on the ecosystem. Halibut is mainly caught as bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards).  in gillnetsGillnets:
A fishing technique whereby passing fish get caught in the meshes with their gills. The net stands vertically on the bottom or hangs on buoys in the water column. The by-catch of species such as porpoises and dolphins is a problem related to gillnets. and longlinesLonglines (drifting):
A fishing method whereby a long main line (40-100 km long) with transverse lines with hooks with bait is expanded. The line floats on buoys in the water column. . There is no data on bycatch of vulnerable and endangered species available for this specific fishery. Gillnets have a relatively small negative effect on the seafloor.

There is little known about the life and distribution of halibut but the management is largely effective. The system does not use quotaQuota:
The maximum amount of fish of a species that may be landed per country and per year; an instrument for regulating fisheries. .

Atlantic halibut is very sensitive to [fishing pressure]. Decades of overfishingOverfishing:
There is so much fish caught that the size of the stock has diminished so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term.  have led to an exhausted stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. . Catch records of the last decades however have shown a growth of the northern stock, despite a small decline in 2013.

Because the Atlantic halibut is high in the [food chain], the depletion of the stock has a large impact on the ecosystem. Halibut is mainly caught as bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards).  in gillnetsGillnets:
A fishing technique whereby passing fish get caught in the meshes with their gills. The net stands vertically on the bottom or hangs on buoys in the water column. The by-catch of species such as porpoises and dolphins is a problem related to gillnets. and longlinesLonglines (drifting):
A fishing method whereby a long main line (40-100 km long) with transverse lines with hooks with bait is expanded. The line floats on buoys in the water column. . Longlines have generally low bycatch. However, the bycatch contains endangered and vulnerable species like sharks, rays and seabirds. There is however no data available for this specific fishery.

There is little known about the life and distribution of halibut but the management is largely effective. The system does not use quotaQuota:
The maximum amount of fish of a species that may be landed per country and per year; an instrument for regulating fisheries. .

The Atlantic halibut stocks in the north-east Atlantic Ocean are doing poorly. For decades the [stocks] are being overfished. Now these are exhausted without signs of recovery.

Halibut is caught as a bycatch species in other bottom fisheries. Many of these fisheries have significant bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). , but good data is lacking. Bottom trawls touch the bottom, which in the long term can lead to change in the diversity of the habitat and [species composition]. Especially the cold water coral reefs by Iceland are vulnerable to disruption.

There is a fishing prohibition on halibut since 2012 and a “release obligation” in fisheries where halibut is caught as bycatch. Iceland has a transparent fishing policy and has one of the most effective management systems for enforcement and control. Despite this, Iceland has no proper stock assessment for halibut.

The Atlantic halibut stocks in the north-east Atlantic Ocean are doing poorly. The [stocks] are being overfished for decades now and are exhausted, without signs of recovery. The catch of halibut has declined since the fishing prohibition in 2012. Halibut caught as a bycatch species in other bottom fisheries is still a problem.

LonglineLongline:
Also known as line fishing. A fishing method in which lines and hooks are used. fishery has relatively low bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). , however, the bycatch consists of endangered and vulnerable species like sharks, rays and seabirds.

There are no defined management goals and no long term management plan. There is a fishing prohibition on halibut since 2012 and a “release obligation” in fisheries where halibut is caught as bycatch.

The Atlantic halibut stocks in the north-east Atlantic Ocean are doing very badly. For decades the [stocks] are being overfished. Now these are exhausted without signs of recovery.

Halibut is caught as a bycatch species in other bottom fisheries, like the bottom trawls on witch flounder in Kattegat. Many of these fisheries have significant bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). , however good data is lacking.

Bottom trawls touch the bottom, which in the long term can lead to change in the diversity of the habitat and [species composition].

There are no defined management goals and no long-term management plan. There is a fishing prohibition on halibut since 2012 and a “release obligation” in fisheries where halibut is caught as bycatch.