Advice and Scenarios Database



Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) in divisions 7.b-c and 7.e-k (southern Celtic Seas and eastern English Channel)
StockCode (Assessment Component)
whg.27.7b-ce-k
Assessment Year
2026
Stock Category
1
Purpose
Advice
Published
Stock Assessment Key
23780
Link to Advice Sheet
https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.advice.30932462






Catch scenarios


Basis
Total catch
Projected landings
Projected discards
Ftotal
Fprojected landings
Fprojected discards
Spawning-stock biomass (SSB)
% SSB change*
% TAC change**
% probability SSB less than Blim#
2027 2027 2027 2027 2027 2027 2028 2028 2027 2028
(t) (t) (t) (ratio) (ratio) (ratio) (t) (%) (%) (%)
ICES Basis Advice
Maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approach: F=0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16035 8.8 -100 100
Other scenarios
EU MAP^^: FMSY 4146 3343 803 0.375 0.321 0.054 12475 -15.4 79 100
EU MAP^^: FMSY lower 3596 2901 695 0.315 0.27 0.045 12924 -12.3 56 100
FMSY ×SSB2027/MSYBtrigger 1385 1125 260 0.109 0.093 0.016 14739 0.03 -40 100
FMSYlower×SSB2027/MSYBtrigger 1175 954 221 0.091 0.078 0.013 14934 1.29 -49 100
F= FMSY = FPA 4146 3343 803 0.375 0.321 0.054 12475 -15.4 79 100
SSB2028 = Blim^ 100
SSB2028= BPA= MSY Btrigger^ 100
F = F2026 3463 2800 663 0.302 0.258 0.044 13024 -11.7 50 100
SSB2028 = SSB2027 1380 1121 259 0.108 0.093 0.015 14744 0 -40 100




Symbol Footnotes
* SSB2028 relative to SSB2027
** Total catch in 2027 relative to 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) (2310 tonnes, EU-UK, 2025).
# The probability of SSB being below Blim in 2028. This probability relates to the short-term probability of SSB less than Blim and is not comparable to the long-term probability of SSB less than Blim, fishing mortalities less than FPA have been shown to have less than 5% probability of the stock being below Blim in the long term when tested through simulations when estimating fishing mortality reference points.
^ The Blim and BPA options were left blank because none of them can be achieved in 2028, even with zero catch in 2027.
^^ EU multiannual plan (MAP) for the Western Waters and adjacent waters (EU, 2019).