PelAC issues 2026 herring TAC advice, citing stock misclassification, data errors, and call for revised scientific benchmarks
Advisory Council Recommends Targeted Catch Reductions and Monitoring Quotas
The Pelagic Advisory Council (PelAC) has submitted detailed recommendations to the European Commission on the 2026 Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for key herring stocks in EU and adjacent waters, calling for revised scientific assessments, improved genetic identification methods, and urgent policy corrections in light of persistent misclassification and stock mixing concerns.
The advice, dated 14 July 2025 and sent to DG MARE Director-General Charlina Vitcheva, covers herring in six key management areas: 6a North Autumn Spawning, 6a South and 7bc, Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, and North Sea Autumn Spawning herring.
TAC Advice and Concerns for 6a North and 6a South
For 6a North Autumn Spawning herring, PelAC supports the ICES MSY-advised TAC of 1,501 tonnes. However, the group questions the scientific consistency behind the inclusion of spring-spawning bycatch in catch data for a stock assessment that excludes those same fish from the genetic biomass index.
The inconsistency, PelAC argues, could distort the length-based indicators used to assess the stock. Additionally, they reiterate a long-standing concern that 6a North autumn-spawning herring are genetically indistinct from North Sea Autumn Spawning herring — yet are still assessed separately. PelAC wants to know why no progress has been made on re-evaluating this separation, despite ICES having flagged it for four consecutive years.
In the case of 6a South and 7bc herring, PelAC supports a TAC of 3,269 tonnes for 2026, again in line with MSY advice. While the stock’s biomass index has been decreasing, it remains above the trigger point. However, the group raises concerns over a discrepancy between the MSY advice and what the constant harvest rate would allow (7,105 tonnes), pointing to flawed assumptions during the 2022 benchmark that mischaracterised the stock’s dominance in the area.
PelAC is also pressing for the development of a full analytical assessment, rather than relying on the current Category 3 assessment which ignores spring-spawning components in the catch. They support ongoing work by the Irish Marine Institute to improve genetic discrimination between spawning groups and urge that funding be made available to fast-track this effort.
Zero Catch Recommended for Celtic Sea Herring – With Monitoring TAC
For Celtic Sea herring, ICES has recommended a zero catch, and PelAC supports this. However, they stress the importance of maintaining the ICES-advised monitoring TAC of 869 tonnes to allow for continued data collection.
Although the spawning stock biomass (SSB) has doubled from 10,000 tonnes in 2018 to 20,000 tonnes today, recruitment remains weak and shows no sign of recovery. The 2024 Celtic Sea Herring Acoustic Survey found only juvenile fish in the southern Irish Sea, while the monitoring fishery reported mature fish in the same area — suggesting the survey is not reliably detecting adult herring.
PelAC supports a combined synoptic survey integrating the Celtic Sea Herring Acoustic Survey (CSHAS), Irish Sea Acoustic Survey, and the CEFAS PELTIC surveys to improve spatial coverage and data consistency.
Major Problems in Irish Sea Herring Advice
For Irish Sea herring, PelAC advises setting the 2026 TAC at 2,935 tonnes, again following ICES advice. However, they criticise the assessment model, citing multiple years of errors, reissued advice, and recalculated reference points that significantly altered perceptions of the stock’s health.
ICES originally advised a 2025 TAC of 5,223 tonnes, which was later reduced to 3,206 tonnes due to data errors. The corrected assessment placed the SSB below MSY Btrigger. Despite this, there is no indication that the EU or UK will revise the TAC downwards, and PelAC warns that keeping inflated TACs “is not sustainable and is contrary to good fisheries management.”
They echo their support for a combined synoptic survey across Celtic and Irish Sea herring and express disappointment that the ATHERE project, which aimed to investigate stock mixing, was not funded by the Commission. Given ongoing concerns about the assessment model, PelAC now calls for an urgent benchmark revision.
North Sea Autumn Spawning Herring – Call for Long-Term Management
For North Sea Autumn Spawning herring (NSASH), PelAC recommends a 2026 TAC of 287,772 tonnes in line with the updated ICES MSY advice. However, they caution that a weak 2022 year class is now maturing, and further declines in spawning stock biomass are expected through 2027, potentially pushing the stock below Bpa.
The 2024 cohort is also projected to be very small, raising further concerns about stock productivity. PelAC criticises the EU’s failure to fund the ATHERE project, which would have improved understanding of stock mixing and recruitment patterns by distinguishing autumn and winter spawners in the North Sea.
They endorse the C3P-Eaux project, which aims to assess the impact of global change on small pelagic species and better understand recruitment drivers in key subpopulations like the Downs herring.
PelAC also supports the ICES Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) that recently revised FMSY down from 0.34 to 0.23. They urge policymakers to now develop a long-term management strategy (LTMS) based on ecosystem principles, with clear reference points, catch constraints, and exceptional circumstances protocols.
Summary of TAC Recommendations
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6a North Autumn Spawning Herring: 1,501 tonnes
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6a South, 7bc Herring: 3,269 tonnes
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Celtic Sea Herring: 0 catch, with 869 tonnes monitoring TAC
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Irish Sea Herring: 2,935 tonnes
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North Sea Autumn Spawning Herring: 287,772 tonnes
PelAC closes its advice with a warning that delays in correcting flawed assessments, lack of investment in genetic tools, and failure to adjust TACs based on updated advice all risk undermining the EU’s stated objectives for sustainable fisheries management.