Porcupine Bank Nephrops Grounds (FU16) 2022 UWTV Survey Report and catch scenarios for 2023

Abstract

This report provides the results of the tenth underwater television on the ‘Porcupine Bank Nephrops grounds’ ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 16. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV and other ecosystem data. In total 58 UWTV stations were successfully completed out of the 68 stations planned in a randomised 6 nautical mile isometric grid covering the full spatial extent of the stock. The mean burrow density observed in 2022, adjusted for edge effect, was 0.19 burrows/m². The final krigged abundance estimate was 1363 million burrows with a CV of 3% and an estimated stock area of 7,124 km2. The 2022 abundance estimate was 34% higher than in 2021. Using the 2022 estimate of abundance and updated stock data imply that catches in 2023 should be between 3054 and 3787 tonnes, according to the EU MAP and ICES MSY approach (assuming that all catch is landed). Three species of sea-pen (Virgularia mirabilis, Funiculina quadrangularis and the deepwater sea-pen Kophobelemnon stelliferum) were observed during the survey. Trawl marks were also observed on 52% of the stations surveyed.