Lumpfish Cyclopterus lump
Publication of Advice: 26 March 2025. Published by Marine and Freshwater Research Institute.
Advice
MFRI advises in accordance with the MSY approach that catches in the fishing year 2024/2025 should be no more than 2 760 tonnes. MFRI further advises that the initial TAC for the fishing year 2025/2026 should be 662 tonnes.
Stock development
Female index is below to Itrigger but above Ilim and fishing pressure is at target FMSY proxy.
Grásleppa. Catches, fishing pressure proxy (FMSYproxy) and IS-SMB female biomass index. Shaded area and bars 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 | Trends in biomass indicators |
Input data | Commercial catch and survey biomass indices (IS-SMB) |
Approach | Reference point | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
MSY approach | Itrigger | 5 403 | Ilim×1.4 |
FMSY proxy | 0.75 | AMean Fproxy for 2014-2020 | |
Precautionary approach | Ilim | 3 859 | Iloss |
The advice rule is based an index of fishing mortality, Fproxy = 0.75, defined as the catch divided by the female biomass index (IS-SMB). If the female biomass index (I) falls below Itrigger then the Fproxy used will decrease in proportion to the magnitude in which the biomass index is between Itrigger and Ilim* i.e. Fproxy = 0.75 \(\frac{I_{y}}{I_{trigger}}\) *. If the biomass index is equal to or falls below Ilim, then that year will represent a value of zero in the calculation of TAC. To compensate for uncertainty in the measurements, the previous year’s index is taken into account (weighted 30%) against the new measurement (weighted 70%) when estimating the recommended TAC.
Lumpfish. Advice calculation.
Ay: Catch advice for 2024/2025 | 4 030 |
Initial catch advice for 2025/2026 | 1 216 |
Biomass index | |
Latest index value (I2025) | 3 986 |
Fishing pressure proxy** | |
f: FMSY proxy | 0.75 |
Biomass safeguard | |
Index trigger value (Itrigger=Ilim*1.4) | 5 403 |
b: Index relative to trigger value, min{I2025/Itrigger, 1} | 0.74 |
Advice rule | |
m: Assessment year multiplier | 0.7 |
n: Advisory year multiplier | 0.3 |
Catch advice for 2025/20261) | 2 7603) |
Initial catch advice for 2026/20272) | 662 |
% advice change | -32 |
1) [b × f × m × i + Ay] | |
2) [b × f × n × i] | |
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 2024/2025 decreased due to that the stock size indicator for the years 2025 is lower than in 2024.
Quality of assessment
IS-SMB covers a large part of the temporal and depth distribution of mature female lumpfish. The lumpfish biomass index fluctuates considerably and therefore, landings each year must be considered along with the index from the same year.
Other information
MFRI emphasizes improved registrations of bycatch and discards of other species from the female lumpfish fishery as it has implication for the fishery and on the management of the stock and other species.*
Bycatch in the lumpfish fishery for the years 2020-2023 is lower than the years before (Hafrannsóknastofnun 2024). The reason is assumed to be related to increased surveillance, both from drones and officers aboard the fishing vessels.
Lumpfish. Recommended TAC, national TAC, and catches (tonnes).
References and further reading*
James Kennedy og Sigurður Þ. Jónsson 2020 . Umreikningur á fjölda tunna af grásleppuhrognum yfir í óslægðan afla byggður á veiðidagbókum. Haf- og vatnarannsóknir. HV- 2020-32. 9 bls. https://www.hafogvatn.is/static/research/files/hv2020-32.pdf [in English: Converting number of barrels of lumpfish roe to ungutted landings based on logbook data. HV- 2020-33, 9 pp. https://www.hafogvatn.is/static/research/files/hv2020-33.pdf]
James Kennedy, Sigurður Þór Jónsson, Höskuldur Björnsson, Guðmundur J. Óskarsson, Bjarki Þór Elvarsson, Guðmundur Þórðarson (2021) Report on benchmark assessment and revision of an advisory rule for lumpfish around Iceland. KV 2021-1. Kver Hafrannsóknastofnunar https://www.hafogvatn.is/static/research/files/kv2021-1.pdf
Hafrannsóknastofnun 2024. Meðafli fugal og sjávarspendýra í grásleppuveiðum árin 2020-2023. Hafrannsóknastofnun, janúar 2024. https://www.hafogvatn.is/static/extras/images/taekniskyrsla-medafli-fugla-og-spendyra-i-grasleppuveidum-20231429811.pdf