HADDOCK Melanogrammus aeglefinus
Publication of Advice: 12th June 2026. Published by Marine and Freshwater Research Institute.
Advice
MFRI and ICES advise that when the Icelandic management plan is applied, catches in the fishing year 2026/2027 should be no more than 63 206 tonnes.
Stock development
Fishing pressure is above HRMGT, HRMSY and HRpa; spawning stock size is above MSY Btrigger, Bpa and Blim.
Haddock. Catch by gear type, recruitment, fishing mortality and harvest rate, reference stock biomass (B45+ cm) and spawning stock biomass (SSB). Shaded areas and error bars show 95% confidence intervals. All biomass reference points refer to SSB levels.
Basis of the assessment and reference points
Basis of the advice | Management plan |
Management plan | TAC set as 35% of reference biomass (biomass of 45 cm and larger) in the assessment year |
Assessment type | Statistical catch at age model |
Input data | Catch in numbers and age disaggregated indices (IS-SMB, IS-SMH) |
Approach | Reference point | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
MSY approach | MSY Btrigger | 64 400 | Bpa |
HRMSY | 0.35 | HRpa | |
Management plan | MGT Btrigger | 64 400 | From the management plan |
HRMGT | 0.35 | From the management plan | |
Precautionary approach | Blim | 46 000 | Bloss |
Bpa | 64 400 | Blim x e1.645 * 0.2 | |
HRpa | 0.35 | HR leading to P(SSB > Blim) = 95 % with Btrigger |
Prospects
The Icelandic Ministry of Industries has adopted a management plan for Icelandic haddock fisheries (MI, 2025). The TAC is set in the following way according to the plan:
\[ \mathrm{TAC}_{y/y+1} = 0.35B_{45cm+, y} \; \mathrm{if}\; \mathrm{SSB}_{y} \geq \mathrm{MGT \; B_{trigger}} \]
\[ \mathrm{TAC}_{y/y+1} = \frac{\mathrm{SSB}_{y}}{\mathrm{MGT \; B_{trigger}}} 0.35B_{45cm+, y} \; \mathrm{if}\; \mathrm{SSB}_{y} < \mathrm{MGT \; B_{trigger}} \]
where MGT Btrigger = 64 400 tonnes of SSB, y is the assessment year, TACy/y+1 is the TAC for the fishing year starting 01 September in the assessment year, and B45cm+,y is the estimated biomass of haddock ≥ 45 cm at the beginning of the assessment year
Haddock. Assumptions made for the interim year and in the forecast.
Variable | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Harvest rate (2026) | 0.4 | Annual HR, based on assumed catch in 2026. |
SSB (2027) | 162 383 | From the assessment; in tonnes |
Recruitment age 1 (2027) | 115 533 | Averaged from the past 10 years of the assessment; in thousands |
Recruitment age 1 (2028) | 115 533 | Averaged from the past 10 years of the assessment; in thousands |
Reference biomass (2026) | 180 589 | Biomass of fish 45 cm and larger (B45+). From the assessment; in tonnes |
Catch (2026) | 72 686 | Based on full uptake of the remaining TAC until 31 August 2026 and management plans from 1 September to 31 December 2026; tonnes |
Haddock. Projection of SSB (tonnes) based on adopted harvest control rule.
Basis | Catch (2027) | Harvest rate (2027) | SSB (2028) | SSB change (%)1) | TAC change (%)2) | Advice change (%)3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Management plan | 63 206 | 0.35 | 156 180 | -3.8 | -20 | -20 |
1) SSB in 2028 relative to SSB in 2027 | ||||||
2) TAC value for 2026/2027 relative to TAC value for 2025/2026 (78918 t) | ||||||
3) Advice value for 2026/2027 relative to advice value for 2025/2026 (78918 t) | ||||||
The advised catch is reduced this year compared to last year’s advice because of a reduction in the reference biomass (B45 cm+).
Quality of the assessment
This year’s assessment is in line with last year’s assessment.
Haddock Current assessment (red line) compared with previous estimates (2022–2025). The recruitment age was changed in 2025.
Other information
Landings of haddock in Icelandic waters have consistently exceeded the advised catch in recent years, mainly related to quota transfers between species. This results in a harvest rate higher than HRpa but within the realised harvest rates in the evaluation of the management plan.
Advice, TAC and catch
Haddock. Recommended TAC, national TAC, and catches (tonnes).
Fishing year | Recommended TAC | National TAC | Catches Iceland | Catches other nations1) | Total catch1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | 55 000 | 60 000 | 47 167 | 1 069 | 48 236 |
1985 | 45 000 | 60 000 | 49 573 | 1 380 | 50 953 |
1986 | 50 000 | 60 000 | 47 335 | 1 546 | 48 881 |
1987 | 50 000 | 60 000 | 39 751 | 1 282 | 41 033 |
1988 | 60 000 | 65 000 | 52 999 | 1 149 | 54 148 |
1989 | 60 000 | 65 000 | 61 715 | 1 089 | 62 804 |
1990 | 60 000 | 65 000 | 65 897 | 1 198 | 67 095 |
1991 | 38 000 | 48 000 | 39 142 | 1 218 | 40 360 |
1991/1992 | 50 000 | 50 000 | 47 285 | 1 118 | 47 285 |
1992/1993 | 60 000 | 65 000 | 60 302 | 1 833 | 60 385 |
1993/1994 | 65 000 | 65 000 | 56 171 | 2 912 | 58 443 |
1994/1995 | 65 000 | 65 000 | 60 522 | 1 028 | 60 828 |
1995/1996 | 55 000 | 60 000 | 53 868 | 747 | 53 972 |
1996/1997 | 40 000 | 45 000 | 49 729 | 340 | 49 764 |
1997/1998 | 40 000 | 45 000 | 37 808 | 513 | 37 810 |
1998/1999 | 35 000 | 35 000 | 45 115 | 903 | 45 146 |
1999/2000 | 35 000 | 35 000 | 41 150 | 10 | 41 150 |
2000/2001 | 31 000 | 30 000 | 39 116 | 746 | 39 143 |
2001/2002 | 30 000 | 41 000 | 41 059 | 855 | 41 070 |
2002/2003 | 55 000 | 55 000 | 55 251 | 1 020 | 55 269 |
2003/2004 | 75 000 | 75 000 | 77 916 | 1 126 | 77 917 |
2004/2005 | 97 000 | 90 000 | 96 617 | 1 562 | 96 617 |
2005/2006 | 110 000 | 105 000 | 99 918 | 1 592 | 99 926 |
2006/2007 | 112 000 | 105 000 | 99 763 | 1 699 | 99 763 |
2007/2008 | 120 000 | 100 000 | 109 810 | 1 208 | 109 810 |
2008/2009 | 83 000 | 93 000 | 88 618 | 829 | 88 618 |
2009/2010 | 57 000 | 63 000 | 67 579 | 368 | 67 579 |
2010/2011 | 51 000 | 50 000 | 50 042 | 217 | 50 042 |
2011/2012 | 42 000 | 45 000 | 49 179 | 338 | 49 179 |
2012/2013 | 32 000 | 36 000 | 40 481 | 667 | 40 512 |
2013/2014 | 38 000 | 38 000 | 38 948 | 794 | 39 629 |
2014/2015 | 30 4002) | 30 400 | 35 403 | 1 167 | 36 570 |
2015/2016 | 36 4002) | 36 400 | 38 646 | 1 471 | 40 117 |
2016/2017 | 34 6002) | 34 600 | 34 754 | 1 586 | 36 340 |
2017/2018 | 41 3902) | 41 390 | 42 500 | 1 200 | 43 700 |
2018/2019 | 57 9822) | 57 982 | 58 632 | 750 | 59 382 |
2019/2020 | 41 8233) | 41 823 | 47 894 | 1 097 | 48 991 |
2020/2021 | 45 3893) | 45 3894) | 59 143 | 1 529 | 60 672 |
2021/2022 | 50 4293) | 41 9295) | 49 759 | 2 227 | 51 986 |
2022/2023 | 62 2193) | 62 219 | 67 737 | 1 573 | 69 310 |
2023/2024 | 76 4153) | 76 415 | 82 742 | 1 877 | 84 619 |
2024/2025 | 76 7743) | 76 774 | 84 061 | 1 745 | 85 806 |
2025/2026 | 78 9183) | 78 918 | |||
2026/2027 | 63 2063) | ||||
1) Landings of other nations before 2014 is only available by calendar year. Before that time total catches within the fishing year mostly excludes foreign landings. | |||||
2) 40 % harvest control rule | |||||
3) 35 % harvest control rule | |||||
4) TAC was increased by 8 000 t mid-fishing year | |||||
5) TAC was decreased by 8 000 t because of the increase in the previous fishing year | |||||
References and further reading
ICES (2025). Workshop on the assessment and management plan evaluation for Icelandic haddock and saithe (WKICEGAD). ICES Scientific Reports. Report. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.28444499.v1
MFRI Assessment Reports 2026. Haddock. Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, 12. June 2026.