European hake

The northern stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period.  of European hake has been heavily overfishedOverfished:
A stock is overfished when the stock size has decreased 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.  in the past but is reacting well to the recovery plan. Since this plan has been implemented in 2004, the stock has grown, and the fishing pressureFishing pressure:
Fishing pressure is a result of the fishing effort/amount of fishing on a stock, which determines the fishing mortality. Fishing mortality is the share of the fish stock that dies annually as a result of fishing. has heavily decreased. The stock peaked in 2013 and is amply within safe biological limits. Several fisheries on hake are MSC-certifiedMSC Certified:
Fisheries that comply with the Marine Stewardship Council assessment criteria and are certified. Fish products with the blue MSC label are caught by sustainable fisheries.. These fisheries use demersalDemersal otter trawls:
A technique in which conical nets are dragged over the ground and are held open by large, square 'otter planks'. The planks also work as a plough, in which fish are hunted into the nets. otter trawls, DanishDanish seines:
A fishing technique whereby one of the lines of the seine net/pit net is anchored. The ship expands the net with a moving motion and turns off when picking up the net. seines, ScottishScottish seines:
A fishing technique whereby a net with a long line (the seagulls) is pulled through the water on both sides. The ship is slowly steaming forward when getting in. Also called flyshooting seines, 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. , 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 trammelTrammel:
A trammel consists of three interconnected nets standing upright in the water. The outer net has a wide mesh and the inner nets have thin nets.  nets.

Fish in season 

Fish is in season when the spawning period has ended, as the quality is then at its best.

The northern stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period.  of European hake is amply within safe biological limits.

Fishing hake with 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. is generally quite a selective fishing method. However, the 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).  of rays and sharks form a problem in this fishery. Precise 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).  and discardsDiscards:
Unwanted by-catch, which is thrown back because there is no quota, the market price is too low, or the fish is below the legal minimum landing size. Discards can be alive or dead. data are not available for this fishery. Fishing with longlineLongline:
Also known as line fishing. A fishing method in which lines and hooks are used.s often causes significant damage to protected and threatened species. This fishing method also has a negative impact on the ecosystem. DemersalDemersal otter trawls:
A technique in which conical nets are dragged over the ground and are held open by large, square 'otter planks'. The planks also work as a plough, in which fish are hunted into the nets. otter trawls not only has a negative impact on species other than hake, it is also has a negative impact on the sea bottom. This fishing method has a large impact on the ecosystem.

The fishery management on hake is partially effective. Since a management plan has been implemented in 2004 the stock has grown, and the fishing pressure has heavily decreased. A long-term managementManagement plan:
A management plan describes the management measures (such as catch limits) and their evaluation for one or more fisheries. plan is now in preparation.

Fish in season 

Fish is in season when the spawning period has ended, as the quality is then at its best.

Hake has been heavily overfishedOverfished:
A stock is overfished when the stock size has decreased 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.  in the last century. Since 1998 the stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period.  has been increasing and is now above the historical mean. Despite the implementation of a recovery plan in 2005, and a decrease in catches and fishing pressure, the stock is still being overfished in this area.

Fishing on hake with demersalDemersal otter trawls:
A technique in which conical nets are dragged over the ground and are held open by large, square 'otter planks'. The planks also work as a plough, in which fish are hunted into the nets. otter trawls, longlineLongline:
Also known as line fishing. A fishing method in which lines and hooks are used.s and 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. all have negative impacts on protected and threatened species, such as seabirds and sea turtles. Demersal otter trawls even have a very high amount of discardsDiscards:
Unwanted by-catch, which is thrown back because there is no quota, the market price is too low, or the fish is below the legal minimum landing size. Discards can be alive or dead..

The 2005 recovery plan introduced various measures, including closedClosed areas:
The closure of fishing areas for fishing, for example based on gear or season.   areas, a limitation of the fishing effort and catch reductions. Unfortunately, these measures have failed to reduce catches and fish mortalityFishing mortality:
The share of the fish stock that dies annually by fishing. This is the size to which fishing pressure is examined.  . Hake is being structurally overfished and the 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).  of hake in other fisheries is not even included in the managementManagement plan:
A management plan describes the management measures (such as catch limits) and their evaluation for one or more fisheries. plan.

Fish in season 

Fish is in season when the spawning period has ended, as the quality is then at its best.