In September, following the advice of the Icelandic Marine Institute (MRI), Iceland dramatically reduced its haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) quota for the new fishing year, which is now under way.
The quota for the 2012-13 fishing season is just 32,000 metric tons (MT), down from 45,000 MT last year, and significantly smaller than the 64,000 MT set in 2010. Historically, the Icelandic fleet’s haddock catches have varied from 30,000 to 70,000 MT.
The cuts are attributed to poor recruitment within the stock — a situation that MRI does not expect to improve for the next few seasons. However, the long-term outlook is more optimistic and the institute’s scientists have said an increase in the quota can be expected after the 2014 season.
At the start of this year, the MRI estimated the biomass of haddock three years and older to be 121,000 MT, while its short- and medium-term predictions showed the species’ stock size will decrease over the next few years when the small year classes from 2008 to 2011 will replace the medium year classes from 2004 to 2007.
It said there is “some risk” of the spawning stock going below the historical minimum in 2014-2015. But that would depend on fishing effort and following the latest reduction in the total allowable catch (TAC), which is now thought to be an unlikely occurrence.
The United Kingdom is the main export market for Icelandic haddock, accounting for nearly two-thirds of production. Exports into the U.K. are divided into four main product categories: whole (head-on gutted) fresh haddock, which is primarily transported in containers to Humberside auction markets; fresh fillets or specialty-cut portions, such as cod loins, which are either transported by air or by containership directly to retail or foodservice customers; frozen products, including frozen-at-sea fillets; and lastly, other processed formats such as salted and dried products.
Buyers of Icelandic haddock should expect prices to tighten as a result of the supply slump, particularly as there will also be less product coming out of the Barents Sea next year.
The International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has recommended the Barents Sea haddock catch in 2013 should be no more than 238,000 MT. Under the Joint Russian Norwegian Fisheries Commission management plan, Norway and Russia have been sharing a quota of 318,000 MT this year.
The haddock situation is in stark contrast to that of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Iceland has increased its cod quota for the new season by 19,000 MT to 196,000 MT, and further increases can be expected in the future as cod stocks are believed to be at their highest level since the mid-1980s. Furthermore, the average weight of the cod has also increased, which the MRI said is probably due to the presence of larger quantities of capelin — its main food fish.
Similarly, ICES has recommended a 25 percent rise in the 2013 quota for Barents Sea cod, which would take the total catch up to a record high of 940,000 MT, compared with 740,000 MT in 2012. The Barents Sea haddock and cod quotas should be confirmed this month.
In light of these large increases, it’s likely cod will increasingly substitute for haddock until stocks recover.
