FU19 Nephrops grounds 2019 UWTV survey report and catch scenarios for 2020.

Abstract

This report provides the main results of the tenth 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 2019 a total 44 UWTV stations were successfully completed. The mean density estimates varied considerably across the different patches. The 2019 raised abundance estimate was a 220% increase from the 2018 estimate and at 386 million burrows is below the MSY Btrigger (430 million). Using the 2019 estimate of abundance and updated stock data implies catch in 2020 that correspond to the F ranges in the EU multi annual plan for Western Waters are between 749 and 839 tonnes (assuming that discard rates and fishery selection patterns do not change from the average of 2016–2018). Two species of sea pen were observed; Virgularia mirabilis and Pennatula phosphorea which have been observed on previous surveys of FU19. Trawl marks were observed at 12 % of the stations surveyed.