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.

Following acoustic survey in Autumn (September–October), an Intermediate TAC is set based on estimates (two fixed values) for the immature part of the stock for the next fishing season. The trigger is set at 50 billion (U_trigger) and cap on a preliminary TAC at 400,000 tons. A TAC is set =0 if the estimate of immatures (U_imm) is less than 50 billion; TAC is set at 400,000 tons if U_imm>127 billion. For U_imm estimates in the range 50–127 billion, TAC is set as 5.2x(U_imm – U_trigger) thousand tons. Following acoustic survey in Winter (January–February), a final TAC is set at a catch with a low <5% probability that Biomass will be less than B_lim (ICES, 2015).

An initial TAC is set at the catch giving probability of SSB being below B_lim (150 kt)of less than 5% based on the acoustic surveys in the previous year (Autumn).

To do so two fixed points were defined: 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.

In 2016 ICES and MRI advised that the initial quota for the 2016/2017 fishing year be set a zero as there was a > than 95% chance that the stock was below B_lim (ICES 2016)(MRI 2016). In late 2016 and early 2017 a survey was conducted which indicated that the biomass could support a 57,000 t fishery(FiskerForum 2017), however this survey had numerous difficulties due to sea-ice, weather and other factors (Gíslason 2017) a second survey was undertaken in Feb 2017.  This survey indicated that a safe level of harvest was 299,000 t (FiskerForum 2017)(Gíslason 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 (ICES 2016) indicates that the SSB in 2016 was 304,000 t. Though lower than previous years, ICES notes that the 2016 SSB is not comparable to other years as 2016 used a new methodology which had different assumptions of natural mortality

Parental biomass (SSB) has oscillated roughly from 304,000 tons to 650,000 tons 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 (ICES 2016)

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 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).

In 2016 ICES and MRI advised that the initial quota for the 2016/2017 fishing year be set a zero as there was a > than 95% chance that the stock was below B_lim (ICES 2016)(MRI 2016). This was later revised to 54,000 t and later 299,000 t based on new information (See Scientific Advice Section).  Managers have since set the quota at 299,000 based on this information and new advice (FiskerForum 2017).

Given the short life cycle of the species, the fact that currently this stock is not overfished and is not experiencing overfishing, and a two-stage HCR that prevents a directed fishery if there is greater that a 5% probability that the stock will be below B_lim, a recovery plan is not in effect.

Harvester compliance has been good. For 2013/2014 fishing season, total catches represented 89% of the total TAC (ICES, 2015). Additionally 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 (ICES, 2014).In Icelandic waters, only purse-seiners are allowed to target capelin (ICES, 2014)

Discards are considered negligible; observers are frequently on board vessels during autumn fisheries in areas where juveniles are likely to occur. Temporary area closures are enforced in Icelandic waters when a high abundance of juveniles is measured in the catch (i.e. more than 20% of the catch is composed of fish less than 14 cm). Catches 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 additional 10 species have been recorded more sporadically; the most abundant cetacean off the Icelandic continental shelf is the minke whale (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 PET species.

In the Icelandic pelagic fisheries, catch other than the targeted species is considered rare. Yet, in some cases, juveniles of capelin are caught and such areas are then closed to the fishery.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.

Discarding is allowed when catches surpass the carrying capacity of the vessel, but discards 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 .

The 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 is an important forage fish and 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 (< 13 cm) measured by inspectors exceeds 20% of the catch. 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).