ICES announces healthy cod population, sets fishing quota of 2,848 tons for 2025

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has determined that the cod population on the continental shelf is in a healthy state, allowing for a fishing quota to be set for the coming year.

For the past two years, ICES recommended against cod fishing entirely, but projections for 2025 indicate a quota of 2,848 tons.

With a sustainable fishing approach, it is expected that the cod population will exceed the minimum spawning stock threshold by 2026, according to ICES.

Recent assessments from the Faroe Bank show signs of recovery in the cod stock. This year, ICES suggested a catch limit of 78 tons, which has significantly increased to 575 tons for next year.

In addition to cod, ICES has similar recommendations for haddock. The suggested catch remains roughly the same as last year, with a recommendation of 12,200 tons for 2025. The haddock stock has been stable since exceeding the threshold for sustainable fisheries in 2018, and recent data indicates that the 2023 cohort could be above average.

Furthermore, there has been a notable increase in the availability of saithe. ICES has recommended a catch of 24,281 tons for the upcoming year, representing a substantial 58 percent rise from last year’s quota.