ICES Recommends 2026 Megrim Catch Increase in Celtic Seas & Biscay

ICES advises 2026 megrim catch increase for west and southwest of Ireland and Bay of Biscay, citing stable biomass and sustainable exploitation

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has issued its 2026 catch advice for megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) in the Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay, recommending a total catch of 21,178 tonnes, representing a 7.5 percent increase on the previous year’s advice.

The advice, published on 10 October 2025, applies to ICES divisions 7b, 7c, 7e–k, 8abd, encompassing waters from the south-west of Ireland through the Celtic Sea and west of Brittany to the northern Bay of Biscay. ICES said the advice follows the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approach and is based on updated analytical assessments showing continued stock stability and relatively low exploitation rates.

Stock Condition and Trends

ICES reports that the spawning-stock biomass (SSB) remains above the MSY Btrigger level and has been increasing gradually since 2021. Fishing mortality is below the FMSY threshold, indicating the stock is being exploited sustainably. Recruitment has been variable in recent years but remains close to the long-term average.

The most recent assessment indicates an SSB of approximately 59,000 tonnes in 2024, with projections showing a modest rise to 61,500 tonnes in 2025. Fishing mortality is expected to remain stable under the recommended catch limits.

Catch and Effort Analysis

Megrim is primarily caught as part of mixed demersal trawl fisheries targeting anglerfish, hake, and monkfish across the Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay. ICES estimates that discards account for around 8–10 percent of total catches, with minimal below-minimum-size landings reported.

The 2026 catch advice of 21,178 tonnes corresponds to landings of roughly 19,500 tonnes and discards of about 1,600 tonnes, consistent with the long-term discard rate. ICES notes that this level of catch is expected to maintain the stock well above precautionary biomass limits through 2027.

Management Context

The stock is managed jointly under the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and falls under the EU’s Western Waters Multiannual Management Plan (Regulation (EU) 2019/472), which ICES considers precautionary. The Council said the 2026 advice is consistent with the FMSY reference points established during the last benchmark assessment in 2023.

ICES also highlighted the importance of ongoing improvements to species identification in landings data, as confusion between megrim (L. whiffiagonis) and four-spot megrim (L. boscii) remains an issue in some mixed catches.

Advisory Outlook

The recommended increase reflects strong weight-at-age data and stable recruitment patterns. ICES concluded that maintaining catches within advised levels should ensure sustainable exploitation of the megrim stock while supporting the economic stability of mixed demersal trawl fisheries.

It warned, however, that the stock remains vulnerable to fluctuations in recruitment and that any sustained increase in fishing effort beyond current levels could jeopardise progress.

ICES Advice - Megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) in divisions 7.b–k, 8.a–b, and 8.d (west and southwest of Ireland, Bay of Biscay)

Source: ICES