PelAC has written to the Director-General of DG MARE regarding the update of the Southern horse mackerel Long Term Management Plan
The Pelagic Advisory Council (PelAC) has called on the European Commission to update the Long Term Management Plan (LTMP) for the southern horse mackerel (SHOM) following significant revisions in stock assessment benchmarks.
In a letter addressed to Charlina Vitcheva, Director General of the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, PelAC outlined how recent findings from the ICES Working Group on Southern Horse Mackerel, Anchovy, and Sardine (WGHANSA) highlighted changes in SHOM stock dynamics that render the existing management plan outdated.
The 2024 benchmark report revised key reference points, including a substantial increase in the MSYBtrigger level from 181,000 to 279,000 tonnes, an increase in Blim from 103,000 to 201,000 tonnes, and a reduction in the FMSY target from 0.15 to 0.115. PelAC contends that these adjustments, based on a more comprehensive model incorporating updated biological data on maturity and natural mortality, offer a more accurate picture of stock health and sustainable yield thresholds.
PelAC has requested that the Commission submit an updated management strategy for the SHOM to ICES for a comprehensive Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE).
The letter states:
“As underlined by ICES in its advice, the “Management of the catches of southern horse mackerel, blue jack mackerel and Mediterranean horse mackerel under a combined TAC prevents effective control of the single-species exploitation rates and could lead to overexploitation of any of these species”. The PelAC would greatly appreciate having this issue also addressed by the MSE ( Management Strategy Evaluation).”
This process would allow ICES to assess factors such as climate change impacts on SHOM and the species’ role within the marine food chain. The advisory council has also pointed to concerns raised by ICES about the current combined TAC (Total Allowable Catch) system, which governs SHOM alongside blue jack and Mediterranean horse mackerel, as it may complicate control efforts and increase overfishing risks for individual species.
PelAC’s letter underscores the importance of a refit to ensure sustainable management practices for SHOM in light of the benchmark results and urges timely action from the EU to safeguard the stock and support ecosystem resilience.