STARRY RAY Amblyraja radiata
Publication of Advice: 12th June 2026. Published by Marine and Freshwater Research Institute.
Advice
MFRI advises in accordance with the MSY approach that catches in the fishing year 2026/2027 should be no more than 758 tonnes.
Stock development
Fishing pressure is below FMSY and Flim. Stock biomass is above Blim and MSY Btrigger.
Starry ray. Catches, changes in relative biomass (B/BMSY) and relative fishing mortality (F/FMSY). Shaded areas represent 95% CI.
Basis of the assessment and reference points
Basis of the advice | MSY approach. |
Management plan | There is no management plan for this stock. |
Assessment type | Surplus production model (SPiCT). |
Input data | Commercial catch and survey biomass indices (SMB). |
Approach | Reference point | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
MSY approach | MSY Btrigger | 0.5 | A fraction of BMSY where production is 50% of MSY |
FMSY | 1 | Fishing mortality values expressed relative to FMSY | |
Precautionary approach | Blim | 0.3 | A fraction of BMSY where production is 50% of MSY |
Flim | 1.7 | Fishing mortality which results in median SSB at Blim |
Prospects
Starry ray. Assumptions made for the interim year and in the forecast.
Variable | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Projected catch (2026) | 212 | Short term forecast under Fsq; in tonnes |
Stock size B2027/BMSY (2027) | 1.07 | Short-term forecast at status quo F (Fsq) |
Fishing mortality F2025/FMSY (2026) | 0.25 | Status quo F: F2025/FMSY |
Starry ray. Projection of biomass (tonnes) based on the MSY approach.
Basis | Catch (2026/2027) | Fishing mortality (2027) | Stock size (2028) | % Biomass change1) | % Advice change2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSY approach: FMSY | 758 | 0.254 | 1.11 | 4 | -9 |
1) Stock size in 2028 relative to stock size in 2027 | |||||
2) Advice value for 2027/2026 relative to advice value for 2026/2025 (837 t) | |||||
The decrease in advice is due to a downward revision of the estimated biomass trajectory in the current assessment.
Quality of the assessment
The basis for the assessment was changed in 2023. The assessment is now based on a surplus production model (SPiCT). The input data for the assessment model are total catch and standardized survey indices (IS-SMB). The IS-SMB covers the main fishing grounds of starry ray. Successive assessments have tended to revise the estimated biomass downward across the time series.
Starry ray Current assessment (red line) compared with previous estimates (2023-2025).
Other information
Starry ray is a cartilaginous fish. It is considered a slow-growing and long-lived species, making it important to limit fishing pressure. Starry ray is mainly landed in autumn, likely linked to increased demand at that time of year. Discarding is believed to occur during other seasons, but research suggests that survival rates are high.
Advice, TAC and catch
Starry ray. Recommended TAC, national TAC, and catch (tonnes).
Fishing year | Recommended TAC | National TAC | Total catch |
|---|---|---|---|
2020/2021 | 988 | 899 | |
2021/2022 | 921 | 484 | |
2022/2023 | 1 105 | 287 | |
2023/2024 | 822 | 204 | |
2024/2025 | 818 | 215 | |
2025/2026 | 837 | ||
2026/2027 | 758 |
References and further reading
Pedersen, M. W., & Berg, C. W. (2017). A stochastic surplus production model in continuous time. Fish and Fisheries, 18(2), 226-243.
ICES. 2022. ICES technical guidance for harvest control rules and stock assessments for stocks in categories 2 and 3. In Report of ICES Advisory Committee, 2022. ICES Advice 2022, Section 16.4.11. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.advice.19801564
MFRI Assessment Reports 2026. Starry ray. Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, 12 June 2026.