FU19 Nephrops grounds 2018 UWTV survey report and catch scenarios for 2019.

Abstract

This report provides the main results of the ninth underwater television survey of the various Nephrops patches in Functional Unit 19. The survey was multidisciplinary in nature collecting UWTV, multi-beam and other ecosystem data. In 2018 a total 42 UWTV stations were successfully completed. The mean density estimates varied considerably across the different patches. The 2018 raised abundance estimate was a 65% decrease from the 2017 estimate and at 176 million burrows is below the MSY Btrigger (430 million). Using the 2018 estimate of abundance and updated stock data implies catch of 173 tonnes and landings of 130 tonnes in 2018 when MSY approach is applied (assuming that discard rates and fishery selection patterns do not change from the average of 2015–2017). One species of sea pen was observed; Virgularia mirabilis, which has been observed on previous surveys of FU19. Trawl marks were observed at 36% of the stations surveyed.