The UK Marine Strategy assessment product for commercially exploited non-quota shellfish
stocks shows the Good Environmental Status (GES) for descriptor 3. The assessment of
environmental status for commercially exploited non-quota shellfish stocks is based on
the results from national stock assessments for shellfish that are mostly data-limited.
Although methods for stock assessments might vary between stocks and depend on the
quantity and quality of the available data, the relevant stock assessments data are
considered equally following the method for GES in the fishing pressure indicator
assessment.
This assessment product consider national stock assessments that estimate biomass and
reference points to establish a harvest rate or fishing pressure that can sustain the
maximum sustainable yield for 62 non-quota shellfish stocks from 1990 to 2019 (Dobby and
others 2012, 2017; Delargy and others 2019; Cefas 2015a, 2025b, 2020a, 2020b; Lawler and
others, 2023; Mesquita and others 2016, 2017, 2023).
Full details on the UKMS assessment are published at
https://moat.cefas.co.uk/pressures-from-human-activities/commercial-fish-and-shellfish_.
.. _https://moat.cefas.co.uk/pressures-from-human-activities/commercial-fish-and-shellfish:
https://moat.cefas.co.uk/pressures-from-human-activities/commercial-fish-and-shellfish
