Anglerfish Lophius piscatorius
Publication of Advice: 6 June 2025. Published by Marine and Freshwater Research Institute.
Advice
MFRI advises that when the MSY approach is applied, catches in each of the fishing years 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 should be no more than 226 tonnes.
Stock development
Stock size is above Itrigger, and the fishing pressure is below FMSY proxy
Anglerfish Catches, IS-SMB juvenile index (<40 cm), fishing pressure proxy and IS-SMB biomass index. IS-SMB juvenile index: the error bars show 95% confidence intervals. IS-SMB biomass index: the red horizontal lines indicate average biomass indices for 2021–2023 and for 2024–2025 used in the advice calculations; the shaded area shows 95% confidence intervals.
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 | Trends in biomass indicators |
Input data | Commercial catch and survey biomass indices (IS-SMB) |
Approach | Reference point | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
MSY approach | Itrigger | 436 | Iloss×1.4; Iloss defined as the average survey value for the years 1985-1999 |
FMSY proxy | 1.16 | Relative value from LBI analysis, assuming M/K = 1.5 | |
Lc | 60 | Length at first capture, 50% modal abundance from catch length data | |
LInf | 130 | Asymptotic length, defined as maximum length from catch length data | |
K | 0.15 | Population growth rate | |
LF=M | 77.5 | 0.75 x Lc + 0.25 x LInf |
Prospects
The ICES framework for category 3 stocks, for which analytical assessment is not possible but trends in biomass indicators are assumed to reflect changes in stock dynamics, was applied (ICES, 2025). IS-SMB biomass index of is used as an indicator of stock development. As sufficient data on life history in addition to length measurements from catches, the advice is based on the rfb-rule for ICES category 3 data-limited stocks and is valid for each of the fishing years 2025/2026 and 2026/2027.
Anglerfish. Advice calculations.
Ay: Catch advice for 2024/2025 | 188 |
Stock biomass trend | |
Index A (2024-2025) | 1 232 |
Index B (2021-2023) | 719 |
r: Stock biomass trend (index ratio A/B) | 1.714 |
Fishing pressure proxy | |
Mean catch length (Lmean = L2024) | 90 |
MSY proxy length (LF=M) | 78 |
f: Fishing pressure proxy (LF=M/Lmean) | 0.859 |
Biomass safeguard | |
Last index value (I2025) | 1 178 |
Index trigger value (Itrigger=Iloss*1.4) | 437 |
b: Index relative to trigger value, min{I2025/Itrigger, 1} | 1 |
Precautionary multiplier to maintain biomass above Blim with 95% probability | |
m: Multiplier (generic multiplier based on life history) | 0.95 |
Advice calculation1) | 356 |
Stability clause (+20% / -30% compared to Ay, only applied if b>1)2) | 1 |
Catch advice for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 | 226 |
% advice change3) | 20 |
1) Ay × r × 1/f × b × m | |
2) min{max(0.7Ay, Ay+1), 1.2Ay} | |
3) The figures in the table are rounded. Calculations were done with unrounded inputs, and compared values may not match exactly when calculated using the rounded figures in the table. | |
The advice for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 is higher than the advice for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 because of increasing survey index values.
Quality of the assessment
The Icelandic spring survey (IS-SMB) covers the geographical distribution of the stock and the fisheries within Icelandic waters. However, evidence suggests that mixing occurs between Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the Rockall area (Hislop et al. 2001; Laurenson et al. 2005; Thangstad et al. 2006).
Other information
Recruitment in the IS-SMB was low during 2010–2024, but a substantial increase observed in 2025 may contribute to higher biomass in the near future.
Advice, TAC and catch
Anglerfish. Recommended TAC, national TAC, and catches (tonnes).
Fishing year | Recommended TAC | National TAC | Total catch |
|---|---|---|---|
2010/2011 | 2 500 | 3 000 | 3 376 |
2011/2012 | 2 500 | 2 850 | 3 006 |
2012/2013 | 1 500 | 1 800 | 1 906 |
2013/2014 | 1 500 | 1 500 | 1 403 |
2014/2015 | 1 000 | 1 000 | 1 080 |
2015/2016 | 1 000 | 1 000 | 913 |
2016/2017 | 711 | 711 | 677 |
2017/2018 | 853 | 853 | 653 |
2018/2019 | 722 | 722 | 565 |
2019/2020 | 441 | 441 | 428 |
2020/2021 | 503 | 503 | 437 |
2021/2022 | 402 | 402 | 199 |
2022/2023 | 258 | 258 | 188 |
2023/2024 | 188 | 188 | 236 |
2024/2025 | 188 | 188 | |
2025/2026 | 226 | 226 | |
2026/2027 | 226 | 226 |
References and further reading
Hislop, J.R.G., Gallego, A., Heath, M.R., Kennedy, F.M., Reeves, S.A. and Wright, P.J. (2001). A synthesis of the early life history of the anglerfish, Lophius piscatorius (Linnaeus, 1758) in northern British waters. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 58:70-86. https://doi.org/10.1006/jmsc.2000.0991
ICES. 2025. ICES Guidelines - Advice rules for stocks in category 2 and 3. Version 3. ICES Guidelines and Policies - Advice Technical Guidelines. 31 pp. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.28506179
Laurenson, C., Johnson, A. and Priede, I.G. (2005). Movements and growth of monkfish Lophius piscatorius tagged at the Shetland Islands, northeastern Atlantic. Fisheries Research 71:185-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2004.08.020
MFRI Assessment Reports 2025. Anglerfish. Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, 06 June 2025.
Thangstad, T., Bjelland, O., Nedreaas, K.H., Jónsson, E., Laurenson, C.H. and Ofstad, L.H. (2006). Anglerfish (Lophius spp.) in Nordic waters. TemaNord 2006:570. Nordic Council of Ministers, Copenhagen 2006. https://doi.org/10.6027/TN2006-570