Capelin

An assessment benchmark was undertaken in late January 2015 and a new Harvest Control Rule (HCR) following the acoustic assessment surveys was proposed. This new approach is based on leaving more than 150 thousand tons for spawning with more than 95% probability. 

This year’s advice is based on a greater spatial coverage than in previous years. Two acoustic surveys are conducted yearly since 1978 to assess the mature part of the stock: in autumn (September-December) and in winter (January-February). The operations are highly dependent on the weather conditions and aggregation of capelin, which occasionally influences uncertainties in the stock assessment (ICES 2017). The model used includes predation by cod, haddock and saithe and uncertainties from the surveys performed (MFRI 2017). 

ICES recommends the evaluation of assumptions and practical operation of the HCR in the upcoming years as well as different kinds of studies such as optimal harvesting of the fishery, biological studies regarding the life history and ecological key role of capelin. Known restrictions of the surveys performed to assess the stock should be planned and weighted to attain a better coverage (ICES 2017). Changes in the stock distribution are related to climate changes, affecting the results of the autumn survey (Carscadden et al. 2013). The peer review of the assessment conducted by the Icelandic Marine Research Institute is also suggested (ICES 2017).

The advice is based on the new HCR agreed by the Coastal States (Iceland, Greenland and Norway) in 2015 that aims to leave at least 150,000 t for spawning (escapement strategy) (ICES 2017). This review of the HCR, first established in 1979, is in accordance with the precautionary approach and considers predation on capelin and the spawning season (Kvamsdal et al. 2016). However ICES only considers the initial TAC as precautionary and not the whole HCR (ICES 2017).   

Two fixed points were defined for the HCR: U_trigger = 50 billion immature capelin and TAC_MAX = 400 kt for U >127 billion immature capelin. The agreed method for setting the initial/preliminary TAC was:

• TAC = 5.2x(U_imm–U_trigger) kt for U_imm in the range 50–127 billion.
• TAC = 0 if U_imm <50 billion.
• TAC = 400 kt if U_imm >127 billion.

The final TAC is likewise based on <5% probability of SSB< B_lim this is accomplished by

1. bootstrapping the historical January acoustic estimate and finding the 95% lower confident limit;
2. adding catches taken before the January survey;
3. subtracting 300 kt (B_lim=150 kt and an allowance of 150 kt for predation, set at the average model estimate from survey to spawning); and
4. setting up a regression model with this value vs. acoustic indices of immature capelin. The slope of the regression line is 5.2.

As for 2016/2017 ICES and the MRI advised that the initial quota for the 2017/2018 fishing year be set a zero as there was a > than 95% chance that the stock was above B_lim. The immature portion of the stock is well below the trigger value (ICES 2017). The intermediate and final advice TACs for 2017/2018 are not yet available at the time of this profile update (will be published in autumn 2017 and January/February 2018, respectively) (ICES 2017).

A new benchmark assessment was undertaken in late January 2015 and a biomass limit reference point was proposed at 150 thousand tons, at B_loss level (ICES, 2015). Exploitation estimates are not in use. 

Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) of Icelandic capelin is considered very variable, as it is mostly dependent on one age group (ICES, 2011b). 

ICES indicates that the SSB in spring 2017 was at 361,000 t. Portion of immature capelin was encountered in a very low abundance, at 9.4 billion, well below the trigger value of 50 billion. Though lower than previous years, ICES notes that 2016 onwards SSB is not comparable to other years as a new methodology which has different assumptions of natural mortality is being used (ICES 2017).

Parental biomass (SSB) has oscillated roughly from 304,000 t to 650,000 t since 1999, showing no clear trend. ICES notes that the 2016 estimate of SSB assumes a different natural mortality, so the results are not comparable with past years. Recruitment estimates are lower over the recent past than historically, suggesting impending decline if accurate. Overall stock is experiencing lower recruitment than in previous decades (ICES 2017). The stock collapsed twice, giving room to moratoriums in 1982 and the early 1990s. And lower stock levels and catches are shown after 2004/2005 than in mid-1990s (Kvamsdal et al. 2016).  

This stock is jointly managed by Iceland, Norway and Greenland. The fishery is based on the maturing portion of the stock taking place from late June to the end of March of the following year (Kvamsdal et al. 2016).   

According to ICES the fishery is managed in line with a two-step management plan which sets an initial quota based on acoustic surveys the previous year, and then sets a final quota which regulates harvest such that a minimum spawning-stock biomass of < 150 kt has less than a 5% probability of occurring (ICES, 2015).  An initial TAC is set at the catch given the juvenile abundance (ages 1-2) estimated according to the autumn acoustic survey. An intermediate TAC is based on in-season acoustic survey results performed in autumn 2017 and a final TAC (released in winter) is grounded on the autumn and/or winter 2017/2018 surveys conducted.

In 2017 ICES and MRI advised that the initial quota for the 2017/2018 fishing year be set at zero as there was a > than 95% chance that the stock was above B_lim (ICES 2017; MFRI 2017). In the previous fishing season (2016/2017) zero catches were also advised as an initial TAC. This was later revised to 54,000 t and later 299,000 t based on new information. Managers have since set the quota at 299,000 t based on this information and new advice (FiskerForum 2017).

As agreed by the coastal states pelagic trawls are not allowed to operate in the summer fishery to protect the juvenile portion of the stock. Besides, area closures are defined when the proportion of juveniles (individuals < 14cm) exceeds 20% of the catch for up to 2 weeks (ICES 2017).  

The HCR in place is the basis for management:  an initial quota is set following the rule developed by ICES (2015), with a very low probability of being higher than a regression estimated final TAC. This is followed by an intermediate TAC set in the autumn and a final TAC set in winter, that will have a >95% probability of SSB being greater than or equal to B_lim at spawning time in the following spring (ICES 2017). 

Harvester compliance has been strong. Although preliminary, catches in 2016/2017 are close to the final TAC set for the fishing season at 299,000 t. Discards are considered negligible (ICES 2017).

Juvenile areas have been protected from midwater trawling and harvesters have complied with these measures as well. In Icelandic waters, only purse-seiners are allowed in these areas to target capelin. Observers are frequently on board vessels during autumn fisheries in areas where juveniles are likely to occur. Catch transfers are allowed between purse-seine boats to avoid slippage, if the catches are beyond the carrying capacity of the vessel. However, slippage has not been frequent in last years. Catch sensors are used to avoid too large catches (ICES, 2014).

The seabird community in Icelandic waters is composed of relatively few but abundant species, accounting for roughly ¼ of total number and biomass of seabirds within the ICES area. At least 12 species of cetaceans occur regularly in Icelandic waters, and an additional 10 species have been recorded more sporadically; the most abundant cetacean off the Icelandic continental shelf is the common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata (IUCN status: “Least Concern”) (ICES, 2010b). Two species of seals, common seal Phoca vitulina and grey seal Halicoerus grypus breed in Icelandic waters, while 5 northern species of pinnipeds are also found in the area (ICES, 2010b).

There are no official reports of impacts of the Icelandic capelin fishery on Endangered, Threatened and Protected (ETP) species.

In the Icelandic pelagic fisheries, catch other than the targeted species is considered rare. Discarding is allowed when catches surpass the carrying capacity of the vessel, but are almost zero due to methods of transferring catches between purse-seiners. Catch sensors are used, which helps reduce the need to discard (ICES, 2010a,b; ICES, 2014). 

The sea bottom topography around Iceland is generally irregular, with hard rocky bottom prevailing in most areas; and in some cases the shelf around Iceland is cut by many sub‐sea canyons. At present considerably large coral areas exist on the Reykjanes Ridge and off SE-Iceland. Other known coral areas are small (Steingrímsson and Einarsson, 2004 in ICES, 2010b). Many of the cold-water coral areas that have been surveyed have already been destroyed. Currently, 5 areas with relatively undisturbed cold-water corals have received full protection and several other areas are under consideration for further protection. Gorgonian corals occur all around Iceland but these are relatively uncommon on the shelf (< 500 m depth) but can be found in relatively high numbers in deep waters (> 500 m) off south, west and north coasts of Iceland (ICES, 2012b).

As in other pelagic fisheries, no direct effects on the sea floor or benthic communities are known to occur in the Icelandic capelin fishery. 98% of catches are captured by purse-seines (ICES 2017).

Spawning takes place in March-April. The main spawning grounds are shallow waters on the sea bed off the south and west coasts (ICES, 2012b). Capelin have shifted their larval drift and nursing areas west-wards to the colder waters off E-Greenland. Furthermore, the arrival of adult capelin to the overwintering grounds on the outer shelf off N-Iceland has been delayed and migration routes to the spawning grounds are currently located farther off N- and E-Iceland. These changes in the spatial distribution patterns of capelin may have had an effect on the growth rate of various predators (e.g.cod) in recent years (ICES, 2012b).

Capelin plays an important role in the shelf food web, being important in the diet of cod as well as a number of other fish stocks, marine mammals and seabirds. A decline in the stock may be expected to have implications on the productivity of their predators (ICES, 2014). 

Iceland anticipates three different types of area closures: Real Time, Permanent, and Temporary; still, the latter measure has not been related to the capelin fishery:

Real Time and Temporary area closure: A quick closure system has been in force since 1976 with the objective to protect juvenile fish. Fishing is prohibited for at least two weeks in areas where the number of small fish (< 14 cm) measured by inspectors exceeds 20% of the catch (ICES 2017). If, in a given area, there are several consecutive quick closures the Minister of Fisheries can with regulations close the area for longer time forcing the fleet to operate in other areas. Inspectors from the Directorate of Fisheries supervise these closures in collaboration with the Marine Research Institute.

Permanent area closure: In addition to allocating quotas on each species, there are other measures in place to protect fish stocks. Based on knowledge on the biology of various stocks, many areas have been closed aiming at protecting juveniles. Some of them are temporary, but others have been closed for fishery for decades.

Seven designated Nature Reserves, established from 1974 to 1988, and one Conservation Area, designated in 1995, exist along the Icelandic coast and off Surtsey Island totaling 3,507 km² (Wood, 2007). Iceland has 39 marine protected areas (in accordance with the OSPAR definition), including 11 relative large areas and 16 offshore areas, which are closed year-round or seasonally or have restricted access for fisheries management purposes (detailed information in Hoyt, 2005).