Lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus
Publication of Advice: 26 March 2026. Published by Marine and Freshwater Research Institute.
Advice
MFRI advises in accordance with the MSY approach that catches in the fishing year 2025/2026 should be no more than 2 932 tonnes. MFRI further advises that the initial TAC for the fishing year 2026/2027 should be 973 tonnes.
Stock development
Female index is below Itrigger but above Ilim and fishing pressure is below target FMSY proxy.
Lumpfish. Catches, fishing pressure proxy (FMSY proxy shown by dashed line) and IS-SMB female biomass index. Shaded area 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 | Trend in biomass index |
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 | Mean Fproxy for 2014-2020 | |
Precautionary approach | Ilim | 3 859 | Iloss |
The advice rule is based an index of fishing mortality, FMSY proxy = 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 target fishing mortality proxy is decreased according the following proportion: \(\frac{I_{y}}{I_{trigger}}\) . 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: Initial catch advice for 2025/2026 (MFRI 2025) | 662 |
Biomass index | |
i: Latest index value (I2026) | 4 833 |
Biomass safeguard | |
Index trigger value (Itrigger=Ilim*1.4) | 5 403 |
b: Index relative to trigger value, min{I2026/Itrigger, 1} | 0.8945 |
Advice rule | |
FMSY proxy | 0.75 |
f: Fishing pressure (FMSY proxy x b) | 0.6709 |
m: Assessment year multiplier | 0.70 |
n: Advisory year multiplier | 0.30 |
Catch advice for 2025/20261) | 2 9323) |
Initial catch advice for 2026/20272) | 9733) |
% advice change | 6 |
1) [f × m × i + Ay] | |
2) [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. | |
Quality of assessment
IS-SMB covers a large part of the spatial and depth distribution of mature female lumpfish. The lumpfish biomass index fluctuates considerably, but MFRI considers it important that the advice is primarily based on the biomass index from the current year.
Other information
MFRI emphasizes improved registrations of bycatch and discards of other species from the female lumpfish fishery as it has implications 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 fishery surveillance inspectors aboard the fishing vessels. The surveillance effort was too limited in 2025 for estimation of bycatch.
Advice, TAC and catch
Lumpfish. Recommended TAC, initial TAC, and catches (tonnes).
Fishing year | Recommended TAC | Initial TAC recommendation | Total catch |
|---|---|---|---|
2011/2012 | 3 700 | 4 806 | |
2012/2013 | 4 000 | 4 207 | |
2013/2014 | 4 300 | 3 971 | |
2014/2015 | 6 200 | 6 111 | |
2015/2016 | 6 800 | 5 487 | |
2016/2017 | 6 350 | 4 587 | |
2017/2018 | 5 487 | 1 854 | 4 531 |
2018/2019 | 4 805 | 1 557 | 5 059 |
2019/2020 | 5 200 | 1 392 | 5 334 |
2020/2021 | 9 040 | 1 634 | 7 606 |
2021/2022 | 6 972 | 3 174 | 4 407 |
2022/2023 | 4 411 | 1 627 | 4 013 |
2023/2024 | 4 030 | 1 193 | 3 971 |
2024/2025 | 2 7601) | 1 216 | 2 520 |
2025/2026 | 2 932 | 662 | |
2026/2027 | 973 | ||
1) Recommended TAC was actual TAC while for previous years the fishery was managed by an effort day system. | |||
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 fugla 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
MFRI 2025. Lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus. https://www.hafogvatn.is/static/extras/images/48-lum_advice_en_2025.html