European anchovy

Anchovy stocks are doing well in the Ligurian Sea, the northern Tyrrhenian Sea, the Gulf of Lion, the Aegean Sea, northern Spanish waters and the Black Sea. In all these areas, stocks are at or above sustainable levels, and current fishing pressure is low enough to maintain healthy stocks. Due to the species’ rapid growth and early maturity, it is unlikely that fishing disrupts the age structure of the stocks.

Fishing with purse seines has low bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species, little discard and causes no damage to the seabed. Releasing entire catches from the net (slipping) can, however, result in additional mortality. Fishing with midwater otter trawls also causes no damage to the seabed and has low levels of bycatch and discards. However, the risk of lost fishing gear is higher, and fish escaping from the net may experience additional mortality. The consequences of removing large quantities of anchovy from the ecosystem for the food web are not yet fully understood. Purse seines are therefore the better choice.

Management is considered largely effective. Stocks are well monitored, and management takes place through the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) and, for EU countries, the Common Fisheries Policy. There are still areas for improvement, including the protection of vulnerable species, slipping and the enforcement of certain regulations, but overall management is sufficient to maintain stocks at sustainable levels. Some of these fisheries are MSC-certified.

The stocks of anchovy in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian waters are doing well. Biomass is well above sustainable levels, and current fishing pressure is low enough to maintain a healthy stock. Since the fishery reopened in 2010, the stock has been exploited sustainably.

Fishing with purse seines results in low levels of discards and causes no damage to the seabed. Fishing with midwater otter trawls also has low levels of discards and causes no damage to the seabed, but bycatch of common dolphins appears to be higher than officially recorded. The consequences for vulnerable (ETP) species therefore remain uncertain. Purse seines are therefore the better choice.

Management is considered largely effective. The fishery falls under the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy, and the stock is well monitored. However, bycatch of common dolphins and the release of catches (slipping) remain points of concern. Part of these fisheries is MSC-certified.

The Spanish Cantabrian purse seine fishery for European anchovy has been MSC-certified since 2015. This fishery was closed between 2005 and 2010 due to reduced recruitment of young fish. Five years later, however, it became the first anchovy fishery in Europe to achieve MSC certification, thanks to an improved long-term management plan. MSC-certified anchovy is caught using purse seines.

Anchovy stocks are doing moderately well in the waters of Morocco and Mauritania. The stock is considered fully exploited and current fishing pressure appears to be sustainable, but biomass estimates are uncertain and reliable reference points are lacking. Due to the short life cycle of anchovy, stock size fluctuates considerably under the influence of natural conditions.

Fishing with purse seines has low bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species and causes no damage to the seabed. Discards are low, although releasing entire catches from the net (slipping) can result in additional mortality. Fishing with midwater otter trawls also has low levels of discards and causes no damage to the seabed, but may occasionally catch marine mammals as bycatch. The consequences of removing large quantities of small pelagic fish from the ecosystem for the food web are still insufficiently understood. Purse seines are therefore the better choice.

Management is considered partly effective. Morocco and Mauritania have introduced measures to regulate fisheries for small pelagic species, but the effectiveness of these measures is uncertain and enforcement remains a particular concern in Mauritania. In addition, there are credible indications of human rights violations within these fisheries. There is no MSC certification available for these fisheries.

Anchovy stocks in the southern part of ICES area 9a are doing poorly. Biomass has declined since the mid-1990s, and current fishing pressure is above sustainable levels. As a result, the stock is expected to decline further unless fishing pressure is reduced.

Fishing with purse seines has low bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species and low levels of discards. The consequences of removing large quantities of anchovy from the ecosystem for the food web are insufficiently understood. Purse seines cause no damage to the seabed, and both CO₂ emissions and the risk of lost fishing gear are low.

Management is considered ineffective. The fishery falls under the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy, but the current catch limits are insufficient to reduce fishing pressure on the southern stock. Bycatch of common dolphins and the release of catches from the net (slipping) also require additional measures. There is no MSC certification available for this fishery.

Anchovy stocks in the Adriatic Sea are doing poorly. The stock is overfished, and fishing pressure is well above sustainable levels. Recruitment of young fish is also declining, making it more difficult for the stock to recover.

Fishing with purse seines has low levels of discards and is likely to have low bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species. Fishing with pelagic pair trawls also has low levels of discards, but overlaps with habitats of vulnerable shark and ray species. Neither fishing method causes damage to the seabed. The consequences of removing large quantities of anchovy from the ecosystem for the food web are insufficiently understood, as anchovy is an important prey species for many other animals. Purse seines are the slightly better choice, but due to the poor condition of the stock, both fisheries receive a red rating.

Management is considered partly effective. Italy, Croatia and Slovenia cooperate in the management of small pelagic fisheries, but the current measures are insufficient to stop overfishing and allow the stock to recover. There is no MSC certification available for these fisheries.