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Project
Sustainable exploitation of North Sea and North Atlantic fish stocks
Fundamental research for the sustainable management of marine resources in the North Sea and North Atlantic - derivation of appropriate management strategies
As contracting party of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and EU Member State, Germany is obliged to submit national data to the scientific fish stock assessment working groups of ICES and other European organisations.
Background and Objective
For several marine fish stocks, the German fishing quotas represent significant or even dominating fishing activities. As contracting party of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and EU Member State, Germany is obliged to submit national data to the scientific fish stock assessment working groups of ICES and other regional fisheries organisations. The data are the basis for the advice on the sustainable management of fish stocks. Data for stock assessment are collected from representative samples of landings and discards in German fisheries. Discard and by-catch estimations are only possible by onboard sampling of commercial fishing vessels and allow the evaluation of the impact on the marine ecosystem and the long-term effect on marine living resources. With the implementation of the landing obligation by 2015 or 2016, respectively, research to reduce bycatch and discard becomes most important. Fisheries need to be managed in a way that protects fish stocks from overfishing.
Target Group
Science, politicians, the public
Approach
Logbook data as well as discard and age-based biological data sampled on our observer trips are provided to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). On the basis of these data, we estimate the status of commerical stocks together with our colleagues from other countries and provide the scientific advice to the European Commission and other interested stakeholders. In addition, we use these data for our own analyses on the German fishing fleet.
Our Research Questions
- How much is discarded by German fishing fleets?
- What is the status of fish stocks in the North Sea and North Atlantic?
- How much can be caught in the next years to ensure a sustainable exploitation?
Preliminary Results
- Yearly submission of input data for fish stock assessments
- Advice to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture in relation to fish stock management.
- ICES advice on catch quotas
Links and Downloads
Involved Thünen-Partners
- Bernreuther, MatthiasSF Institute of Sea Fisheries
- Fock, Heino SF Institute of Sea Fisheries
- Haslob, HolgerSF Institute of Sea Fisheries
- Panten, Kay SF Institute of Sea Fisheries
- Rohlf, Norbert SF Institute of Sea Fisheries
- Stransky, Christoph SF Institute of Sea Fisheries
- Stransky, Christoph SF Institute of Sea Fisheries
- Taylor, MarcSF Institute of Sea Fisheries
- Ulleweit, Jens SF Institute of Sea Fisheries
- Werner, Karl-MichaelSF Institute of Sea Fisheries
Involved external Thünen-Partners
- Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE)
(Bonn, Deutschland) -
Fischereibetriebe
(Küste, Deutschland)
Duration
1.2001 - 12.2027
More Information
Project status:
ongoing
Publications
- 0
Enberg K, Bartolino V, Bjarnason S, Björnsson H, Breivik ON, Brunel T, Burns F, Campbell A, Carvalho G, Cole H, Costas G, Dingsør GE, Dobby H, Dominguez JC, Egan A, Eliasen SK, Farrell E, Gatt I, Kühn B, Ulleweit J, et al (2025) Benchmark workshop on mackerel and Norwegian spring-spawning herring (WKBMACNSSH). Copenhagen: ICES, iv, 103 p, ICES Sci Rep 7(64), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.29279615
- 1
de Boois IJ, Burt G, Lecomte J-B, Lemey L, Palermino A, Panten K, Sabatini L (2025) ICES Survey Protocols - Offshore beam trawl surveys, coordinated by Working group on Beam Trawl Surveys (WGBEAM). 5th edition. Copenhagen: ICES, v, 70 p, ICES Techn Mar Environ Sci 73, DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.30427927
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Bitetto I, Altuna-Etxabe M, Andres M, Carbonara P, Chiarini M, Depestele J, Garcia D, Ibaibarriaga L, Kempf A, Lembo G, Letschert J, Kühn B, Sanchez-Marono S, Spedicato MT, Sys K, Taylor MH, Zupa W, Rindorf A (2025) SEAwise Report on Carbon footprint, economic and social impacts of revised management strategies in a changing climate based on information from full MSEs : Deliverable 2.4. Version 2.0. Technical University of Denmark, 35 p, DOI:10.11583/DTU.29194667
- 3
Travers-Trolet M, Altuna-Etxabe M, Andres M, Bitetto I, Garcia D, Giannoulaki M, Heath M, Kühn B, Lehuta S, Papantoniou G, Romagnoni G, Sanchez-Marono S, Sgardeli V, Spedicato MT, Tsagarakis K, Tsoukali S, Vassilopoulou V, Rindorf A (2025) SEAwise Report on status of ecological indicators in multispecies-multifleet management evaluations under changes in fish productivity adapted according to input from review workshops : Deliverable 6.3. Version 1.0. Technical University of Denmark, 62 p, DOI:10.11583/DTU.29412629
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Piet G, van Wijk D, Bitetto I, Brown E, Chin K, Depestele J, Giannoulaki M, Ibaibarriaga L, Jurrius L, Kempf A, Kühn B, Liontakis A, Letschert J, Taylor MH, Ojaveer H, Papantoniou G, Rindorf A, Sgardeli V, Spedicato MT, Sys K, et al (2025) SEAwise report on the design of an effective ecosystem-based fisheries management : Deliverable 6.10. Version 2.0. Technical University of Denmark, 62 p, DOI:10.11583/DTU.30244396
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Bitetto I, Garcia D, Altuna-Etxabe M, Andres M, Carbonara P, Depestele J, Giannoulaki M, Kempf A, Kühn B, Lembo G, Letschert J, Liontakis A, Sanchez-Marono S, Sgardeli V, Spedicato MT, Sys K, Taylor MH, Tsoukali S, Vassilopoulou V, Zupa W, Rindorf A (2025) SEAwise report on the impact of socioeconomic effects of fisheries management adapted according to input from review workshops : Deliverable 6.6. Version 1.0. Technical University of Denmark, 49 p, DOI:10.11583/DTU.29412521
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Garcia D, Altuna-Etxabe M, Andres M, Binch L, Bitetto I, Carbonara P, Depestele J, Giannoulaki M, Heath M, Hernvann P-Y, Ibaibarriaga L, Kempf A, Kühn B, Laffargue P, Lehuta S, Letschert J, Liontakis A, Mahevas S, Melià P, Taylor MH, et al (2025) SEAwise Report on the impacts of fisheries on stocks and landings under SEAwise EBFM : Deliverable 6.12. Version 2.0. Technical University of Denmark, 83 p, DOI:10.11583/DTU.29108039
- 7
Bitetto I, Altuna M, Andres M, Asif F, Batts L, Caro M, Depestele J, Frangoudes K, Garcia D, Halkos G, Hamon K, Hegland TJ, Kempf A, Koundouri P, Kraan M, Kühn B, Landis C, Le Grand C, Letschert J, Taylor MH, et al (2025) Synthetic summary report on social and economic aspects of fishing for online tool : Deliverable 2.11. Version 1.1. Technical University of Denmark, 40 p, DOI:10.11583/DTU.30017581
- 8
Stenevik EK, Alvarez P, Jacobsen JA, Beukhof E, Bjarnason S, Brunel T, Campbell A, Costas G, Domínguez R, Egan A, Eliasen SK, Farrell E, Goncalves P, Ólafsdóttir AH, Høines A, Homrum E, Jansen T, Jaworski A, Cebrián JL, Ulleweit J, et al (2025) Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE). Copenhagen: ICES, 930 p, ICES Sci Rep 7(96), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.30233824
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Pastoors M, Bleijenberg J, Brazier A, Campbell A, Costas G, Duncan R, Carvalho GF de, Grandal Rodriguez I, Hintzen N, Ibaibarriaga L, Kenyon S, Mendes H, Ourens R, Paradinas I, Quiroz J-C, Taylor I, Ulleweit J (2024) Benchmark workshop on horse mackerel and boarfish (WKBHMB). Copenhagen: ICES, viii, 296 p, ICES Sci Rep 6(8), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.25002482
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Bryan M, Howell D, Bouch P, Cole H, Dingsør GE, Dobby H, Eidset E, Gerritsen H, Aanestad Godiksen J, Hyder K, Jaworski A, Kelly R, Kempf A, Maleki Y, Orio A, Perreault A, Radford Z, Reecht Y, Staby A, Taylor MH, et al (2024) Benchmark workshop on selected haddock and saithe stocks (WKBGAD). Copenhagen: ICES, vi, 393 p, ICES Sci Rep 6(7), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.25002470
- 11
Overzee HMJ van, Ulleweit J, Panten K, Bangma T (2024) Catch sampling of the pelagic freezer trawler fishery operating in European waters in 2021-2022: Joint report of the Dutch and German national on-board sampling programme. IJmuiden: Centre for Fisheries Research (CVO), 50 p, CVO Rep 24.001, DOI:10.18174/645872
- 12
Bartolino V, Spence M, Vinther M, Baudron A, Kempf A, Perez A, Griffiths C, Adams G, Delius G, Villanueva MC, Thomson M, Püts M, Thorpe R, Gaichas S, Lucey S, Soudijn F, Del Santo O'Neill T, Trijoulet V, McGregor V, Jacobsen NS (2024) Working Group on Multispecies Assessment Methods (WGSAM; outputs from 2023 meeting). Copenhagen: ICES, iii, 170 p, ICES Sci Rep 6(13), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.25020968
- 13
Garcia D, Minto C, Jacobsen JA, Aristegui-Ezquibela M, Aune M, Buch TB, Bartolino V, Bergenius Nord M, Bogstad B, Boje J, Brooks ME, Brunel T, Butler W, Cardinale M, Cervino S, Chen C, Cousido Rocha M, Kempf A, Taylor MH, Haase S, et al (2024) Workshop on the calculation and evaluation of new reference points for category 1-2 stocks (WKNEWREF). Copenhagen: ICES, vi, 241 p, ICES Sci Rep 6(100), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.27905664
- 14
Cadigan N, Storr-Paulsen M, Andersen M, Balestri E, Baudron A, Berg C, Cardinale M, Clarke L, Coull K, Danby R, De Oliveira J, Denechaud C, Dobby H, Dingsør GE, Girardin R, Hemmer-Hansen J, Holdgate A, Kempf A, MacDonald P, Miethe T, et al (2023) Benchmark workshop on Northern Shelf cod stocks (WKBCOD). Copenhagen: ICES, vii, 425 p, ICES Sci Rep 5(37), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.22591423
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Fischer S, Mildenberger TK, O'Brien C, Amorim P, Balestri E, Berg CW, Biseau A, Borges L, Bouch P, Brock E, Carpi P, Cervino López S, Chatalov E, Chong L, Cooper A, Cope JM, Cordier AJR, Danby R, De Oliveira J, Taylor MH, et al (2023) Eleventh workshop on the development of quantitative assessment methodologies based on LIFE-history traits, exploitation characteristics, and other relevant parameters for data-limited stocks (WKLIFE XI). Copenhagen: ICES, v, 74 p, ICES Sci Rep 5(21), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.22140260
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Garcia D, Ibaibarriaga L, Kempf A, Taylor MH, Kühn B, Brown E, Trijoulet V, Vinther M, Girardin R, Savina-Rolland M, Lehuta S, Halouani G, Robert M, Woillez M, Mahevas S, Travers M, Andres M, Sanchez-Marono S, Bitetto I, Spedicato MT, et al (2023) SEAwise Report on the impacts of fisheries on stocks and landings under existing management plans : Deliverable 6.11. Technical University of Denmark, 26 p, DOI:10.11583/DTU.25624698
- 17
Kempf A, Spence M, Lehuta S, Trijoulet V, Bartolino V, Villanueva MC, Gaichas S (2023) Skill assessment of models relevant for the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management. Fish Res 268:106845, DOI:10.1016/j.fishres.2023.106845
- 18
Sun M, Li Y, Suatoni L, Kempf A, Taylor MH, Fulton EA, Szuwalski C, Spedicato MT, Chen Y (2023) Status and management of mixed fisheries: a global synthesis. Rev Fish Sci Aquacult 31(4):458-482, DOI:10.1080/23308249.2023.2213769
- 19
Costas G, O'Hea B, Alvarez P, Burns F, Eliasen S, Garabana D, Kloppmann MHF, Korta M, Krüger-Johnsen M, Mann L, Nash R, Riveiro I, Ulleweit J, Wieland K (2023) Working Group on Mackerel and Horse Mackerel Egg Surveys (WGMEGS; outputs form 2022 meeting). Copenhagen: ICES, 67 p, ICES Sci Rep 5(20), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.22128536
- 20
Orio A, Vansteenbrugge L, Batsleer J, Baudron A, Chen C, Cole H, De Oliveira J, Denechaud C, Girardin R, Halouani G, Haslob H, Holdgate AN, Jacobsen NS, Kempf A, Kokkalis A, Melis E, Mesquita C, Mesquita C, Miethe T, Taylor MH, et al (2023) Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak (WGNSSK). Copenhagen: ICES, xv, 1256 p, ICES Sci Rep 5(39), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.22643143
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Stenevik EK, Berg F, Beukhof E, Bjarnason S, Bleijenberg J, Brunel T, Burns F, Campbell A, Costas G, Dubroca L, Duncan R, Egan A, Farrell E, Goncalves P, Henriksen O, Høines A, Homrum E, Jacobsen JA, Eliasen SK, Ulleweit J, et al (2023) Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE). Copenhagen: ICES, viii, 980 p, ICES Sci Rep 5(82), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.24025482
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Garcia D, Pastoors M, Moesgaard Albertsen C, Balestri E, Bartolino V, Campbell A, Cardinale M, Cervino S, Cole H, Coull K, Curtis D, Fall J, Fallon N, Farrell E, Gerritsen HD, Goni N, Green K, Haase S, Kempf A, Taylor MH, et al (2023) Workshop on guidelines and methods for the design and evaluation of rebuilding plans for category 1-2 stocks (WKREBUILD2). Copenhagen: ICES, iii, 80 p, ICES Sci Rep 5(112), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.24763293
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Ulleweit J, Overzee HMJ van, Bangma T (2022) Catch sampling of the pelagic freezer trawler fishery operating in European waters in 2019-2020: joint report of the Dutch and German national on-board sampling programmes. IJmuiden: Stichting Wageningen Research, Centre for Fisheries Research (CVO), 49 p, CVO Rep 22.008, DOI:10.18174/564918
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Beukhof E, Bleijenberg J, Brazier A, Brunel T, Burns F, Campbell A, Campbell N, Codier A, Costas G, Dubroca L, Duncan R, Egan A, Eliasen S, Farrell E, Goncalves P, Henriksen O, Høines A, Holleland S, Homrum E, Ulleweit J (2022) Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE). Copenhagen: ICES, ix, 921 p, ICES Sci Rep 4(73), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.21088804
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Kelly C, Ball J, Bartolino V, Berg F, Berges B, Håkansson KB, Campbell N, Egan A, Hintzen NT, Ianelli J, Kempf A, Kvamme C, Mackinson S, Mosegaard H, Nash RDM, Pastoors MA, Pert C, Sparrevohn CR, Rohlf N, Trijoulet V, Damme CJG van (2021) Inter-Benchmark Protocol on North Sea Herring (IBPNSHerring 2021). Copenhagen: ICES, 168 p, ICES Sci Rep 3(98), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.8398
- 26
Girardin R, Miethe T, Alvestad AH, Batsleer J, Baudron A, Berg C, Bleeker K, Brazier A, Chen C, De Oliveira J, Halouani G, Haslob H, Kempf A, Kokkalis A, Mesquita C, Mosqueira I, Nawri N, Needle CL, Nielsen A, Taylor MH, et al (2021) Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak (WGNSSK). Copenhagen: ICES, 1281 p, ICES Sci Rep 3(66), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.8211
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Campbell A, Berg F, Beukhof E, Bjarnason S, Björnsson H, Brunel T, Burns F, Campbell N, Catarino R, Chetyrkin A, Costas G, Dubroca L, Duncan R, Egan A, Eliasen S, Goncalves P, Henriksen O, Hjorleifsson E, Hojnes A, Ulleweit J, et al (2021) Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE). Copenhagen: ICES, 874 p, ICES Sci Rep 3(95), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.8298
- 28
Ulrich C, Vermard Y, Dolder PJ, Brunel T, Jardim E, Holmes SJ, Kempf A, Mortensen LO, Poos JJ, Rindorf A (2017) Achieving maximum sustainable yield in mixed fisheries: a management approach for the North Sea demersal fisheries. ICES J Mar Sci 74(2):566-575, DOI:10.1093/icesjms/fsw126
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Rindorf A, Cardinale M, Shephard S, De Oliveira J, Hjörleifsson E, Kempf A, Luzenczyk A, Millar C, Miller DC, Needle CL, Simmonds J, Vinther M (2017) Fishing for MSY: using "pretty good yield" ranges without impairing recruitment. ICES J Mar Sci 74(2):525-534, DOI:10.1093/icesjms/fsw111
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Rindorf A, Mumford J, Baranowski P, Worsoe Clausen L, Garcia D, Hintzen NT, Kempf A, Leach A, Levontin P, Mace P, Mackinson S, Maravelias CD, Prellezo R, Quetglas A, Tserpes G, Reid DG (2017) Moving beyond the MSY concept to reflect multidimensional fisheries management objectives. Mar Policy 85:33-41, DOI:10.1016/j.marpol.2017.08.012
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Stäbler M, Kempf A, Mackinson S, Poos JJ, Garcia C, Temming A (2016) Combining efforts to make maximum sustainable yields and good environmental status match in a food-web model of the southern North Sea. Ecol Model 331:17-30, DOI:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2016.01.020
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Cormon X, Kempf A, Vermard Y, Vinther M, Marchal P (2016) Emergence of a new predator in the North Sea: evaluation of potential trophic impacts focused on hake, saithe, and Norway pout. ICES J Mar Sci 73(5):1370-1381, DOI:10.1093/icesjms/fsw050
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Akimova A, Núñez-Riboni I, Kempf A, Taylor MH (2016) Spatially-resolved influence of temperature and salinity on stock and recruitment variability of commercially important fishes in the North Sea. PLOS One 11(9):e0161917, DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0161917
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Kempf A, Mumford J, Levontin P, Leach A, Hoff A, Hamon KG, Bartelings H, Vinther M, Stäbler M, Poos JJ, Smout S, Frost H, Burg S van den, Ulrich C, Rindorf A (2016) The MSY concept in a multi-objective fisheries environment - lessons from the North Sea. Mar Policy 69:146-158, DOI:10.1016/j.marpol.2016.04.012
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Steenbergen J, Ulleweit J, Machiels M, Nijman R, Panten K, Helmond E van (2015) Discards sampling of the Dutch and German brown shrimp fisheries in 2009-2012. Wageningen: IMARES, 40 p
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Keyl F, Kempf A, Sell AF (2015) Sexual size dimorphism in three North Sea gadoids. J Fish Biol 86(1):261-275, DOI:10.1111/jfb.12579
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Overzee HMJ van, Helmond ATM van, Ulleweit J, Panten K (2013) Discard sampling of the Dutch and German pelagic freezer fishery operating in European waters in 2011 and 2012. Stichting DLO Centre for Fisheries Research (CVO), 68 p, CVO Rep 13.013
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Kraak SBM, Bailey N, Cardinale M, Darby C, De Oliveira J, Eero M, Graham N, Holmes SJ, Jakobsen T, Kempf A, Kirkegaard E, Powell J, Scott RD, Simmonds EJ, Ulrich C, Vanhee W, Vinther M (2013) Lessons for fisheries management from the EU cod recovery plan. Mar Policy 37:200-213, DOI:10.1016/j.marpol.2012.05.002
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Ulleweit J, Stransky C, Panten K (2010) Discards and discarding practices in German fisheries in the North Sea and Northeast Atlantic during 2002-2008. J Appl Ichthyol 26:54-66, DOI:10.1111/j.1439-0426.2010.01449.x
