The ecological effect on the brown shrimp population of fishing for juvenile whiting

The project aims to study the ecology of the whiting population and explore sustainable fishing opportunities for juvenile whiting.

In recent years, the North Sea whiting stock has grown significantly, with a spawning biomass exceeding 350,000 tonnes, while catches remain low, resulting in decreased fishing pressure. Notably, from 2020, 80-100% of catches of juvenile whiting have been discarded.

Juvenile whiting are prevalent in coastal fishing areas important for brown shrimp fisheries, exerting significant predation pressure on both fish and invertebrates, including brown shrimp. The project will investigate the foundation for a fishery targeting seasonal and geographical hotspots of juvenile whiting, thereby enhancing coastal fishing opportunities and reducing local predation on commercially important species like brown shrimp.

Objectives include compiling existing knowledge on juvenile whiting biology and diet, collecting new data in collaboration with coastal fisheries along the Jutland west coast and the Wadden Sea, and assessing the impact of juvenile whiting on the brown shrimp population.

The project is divided into four work packages: documenting interactions between whiting and brown shrimp, analyzing existing bycatch data in the brown shrimp fishery, collaborating with fishers for real-time mapping of whiting occurrences and sizes, and analysing future fishing opportunities targeting dense whiting aggregations for industrial landing. Project activities and results will be communicated through the trade press and social media, with a final report within six months after the project period.

Funding
The project is funded by Fiskeafgiftsfonden.

Research area: Marine Living Resources