The complete stock structure of North Sea sandeel needs to be clarified. Although several reproductively isolated sub-populations have been identified, some exchange occurs between neighboring populations in early life stages. From 2010 onwards ICES has presented advice for the North sea sandeel divided into 7 management areas, based on the assumption that this will better reflect the stock structure and enable improved management avoiding local depletion (ICES 2010). Between 2022 and 2023, a benchmark was conducted focused mainly on identifying the stock for all life stages in saldeel. Concluding that although there are some shared characteristics between the zones, ICES decided to maintain the current stock areas, recognizing a management-oriented approach (ICES 2024). 

This profile represents the SA2 area: South Eastern North Sea. Since 2017, the name of this management area changed to Sandeel Area 2r because of a change in the statistical rectangles (divisions 4.b-c and Subdivision 20) included in the management area (ICES 2017).