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.