Profile updated on 14 March 2024

SUMMARY

SUMMARY

IDENTIFICATION

SCIENTIFIC NAME(s)

Trisopterus esmarkii

SPECIES NAME(s)

Norway pout

COMMON NAMES

Norway Pout

The Norway pout species is distributed from the west of Ireland to Kattegat, the North Sea to the Barents Sea, and at the Faroe Islands (ICES 2017).  The population considered here is that occurring in the northern North Sea and in Skagerrak, correspondent to the ICES assessment unit in Subarea 4 and Division 3.a. There is no known basis at present for separating the North Sea pout component into smaller stock units; although pout in the eastern Skagerrak demonstrate some self-containment, it is only to a very small degree (ICES 2009). Beginning in 2016, ICES stock assessment advice is provided only once annually, while formerly advice and management TACs were revisited biannually (ICES 2016)

Norway pout in this region are taken in a directed fishery and also as bycatch in the blue whiting fishery (ICES 2017). The species is harvested for reduction purposes, nearly exclusively by large vessels from Denmark and Norway using small-mesh gear. Main fishing grounds are in the northern North Sea and particularly at Fladen Ground along the Norwegian Trench.


ANALYSIS

Strengths
  • Norway pout stock biomass remains at healthy levels, above the target reference point for the last 17 years, and is considered to be at full reproductive capacity (ICES 2023), though biomass has declined by almost 52% in the past two years.

SCORES

Management Quality:

Management Strategy:

≥ 6

Managers Compliance:

10.0

Fishers Compliance:

10.0