Deepwater Redfish

The status of stocks of deep-sea redfish in the North Atlantic is poor. The status varies between stocks, but several stocks are below a sustainable level and for some stocks no catch is advised at all. Due to its slow growth and late sexual maturity, the species is highly vulnerable to overfishing and recovery is slow.

Fishing with demersal otter trawls has bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species as well as overfished redfish species. Many juvenile fish are also caught, and this fishery causes significant damage to the seabed and ecosystem. CO₂ emissions and the risk of lost fishing gear are high. Fishing with midwater otter trawls does not damage the seabed and has less bycatch, but the stocks are also under significant pressure with this fishing method and the impact on the ecosystem is insufficiently known. Midwater otter trawls are a slightly better choice than demersal otter trawls and score green for ecosystem effects, but due to stock pressure and/or management, all fisheries receive an overall red score.

Management is considered partially effective. Stocks are monitored and catch quotas are in place, but international agreements on catches are not always respected and there is no agreement on management for some stocks. Some fisheries are MSC-certified, but additional recovery measures remain necessary for the most vulnerable stocks.