Nephrops on the Porcupine Bank are fished in relatively deep waters occurring over a fairly widespread area at relatively low abundance. There is a wide variation in size structure of the catches spatially and temporally. Given the sedentary nature of Nephrops populations closed areas may be an appropriate management tool to recover the stock. The switch in sex ratio in landings and catches in 2007–2009 may be the result of overexploitation of the male component of the stock, leading to sperm limitation in those years. The sex ratio in 2010 has switched back to a more normal situation where male Nephrops make up the majority of the catches.

Environmental influence on the stock

Productivity of deep-water Nephrops stocks is generally lower than those on the shelf although individual Nephrops grow to relatively large sizes and attain high market prices. Other deep-water Nephrops stocks off the Spanish and Portuguese coast have collapsed and have been subject to recovery measures for several years, e.g. FUs 25, 26, 27, and 31. Increased storminess related to the NAO has been linked to reduced recruitment and low lpues on the Porcupine Bank several years later (González Herraiz et al., 2009).

Ecoregion: Celtic Sea.

Management plans


No specific management objectives are known to ICES.