Assessment Summary
At NEAFC’s Annual Meeting in 2008 ICES noted that spawning stock biomass in all the three large pelagic stocks, Norwegian spring spawning (Atlanto-Scandian) herring, blue whiting and mackerel, are all in good shape, above precautionary levels, but there was concern of the low level of recruitment for blue whiting recently, which would drive the stock down if TACs were not significantly reduced.
Resources Assessed
Assessment advice provided by ICES:
Spring Spawing herring - Norwegian SeaManagement Resolutions
Recommendation VI: 2009
RECOMMENDATION BY THE NORTH-EAST ATLANTIC FISHERIES COMMISSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 5 OF THE CONVENTION ON FUTURE MULTILATERAL COOPERATION IN NORTH-EAST ATLANTIC FISHERIES AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING IN NOVEMBER 2008 ON CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR THE NORWEGIAN SPRING-SPAWNING (ATLANTO-SCANDIAN) HERRING IN THE NEAFC REGULATORY AREA IN 2009
The Contracting Parties recommend the following measures:
1. NEAFC takes note of the Agreed Record of Conclusions of Fisheries Consultations on the Management of the Norwegian Spring-Spawning (Atlanto-Scandian) Herring in the Northeast Atlantic for 2009 between the European Community, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway and the Russian Federation signed in London on 13 November 2008.
2. NEAFC further notes that by way of the said Agreed Record, the aforementioned Parties agreed on a total allowable catch (TAC) for the Norwegian Spring-Spawning (Atlanto-Scandian) Herring of 1,643,000 tonnes in 2009.
3. In accordance with Article 5 of the Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in North-East Atlantic Fisheries, the Contracting Parties recommend the following measures for the Norwegian Spring-Spawning (Atlanto-Scandian) Herring in 2009:
All fisheries conducted in waters of the Convention Area as defined in Article 1(1) of the Convention, which lie beyond the waters under the fisheries jurisdiction of Contracting Parties (the Regulatory Area) shall be within the TAC referred to in paragraph 2,
The national quotas referred to in Annex I of the said Agreed Record may be fished in the Regulatory Area,
Catches taken by a Contracting Party in the Regulatory Area in accordance with the said Agreed Record shall be deducted from the respective quotas allocated to the Contracting Parties representing a Party to the said Agreed Record.
4. Only vessels entitled to fly the flag of a NEAFC Contracting Party, having been authorised by its flag State to fish for Norwegian Spring-Spawning (Atlanto-Scandian) Herring in the NEAFC Convention Area in accordance with the said Agreed Record, may take part in the fishery
Management Problems
Change in distribution (herring and mackerel). Shift in recruitment level blue whiting
to turn layers on and off 
Clupea harengus 
