Anchovy, anchovies
Engraulis encrasicolus
Method of production — Caught at sea
Capture method — Purse seine
Capture area — Central Eastern Atlantic (FAO 34)
Stock area — Northwest Africa
Stock detail — Morocco and Mauritiania
Sustainability rating
info
Sustainability overview
Anchovies are fully-exploited. Anchovy have low vulnerability, caught in highly productive seas though they are sensitive to environmental variability, therefore, management should be precautionary to account for this sensitivity and any uncertainties, and catch limits should not increase. Purse seines can catch bycatch such as dolphins and sharks so more management is required to reduce this risk.
Biology
Anchovy is the only European member of the Engraulidae family and is a relative to herring. It is a small, short-lived fish and has been found to live up to five years old. It is mainly a coastal marine species found in large schools. It tolerates a wide spectrum of salinity levels with a depth range down to 400m. It matures on average at 13.5 cm, spawning between April to November, peaking in the warmest months (June to August in the southern North Sea and the Channel, and April to September in the Mediterranean). The European anchovy is found between Norway to South Africa, though it is normally found in the Mediterranean and off the Atlantic coast of Portugal, Spain and France. It is found further north and surface waters in summer, and in deeper waters in winter. It feeds on planktonic organisms (calanoid copepods, cirrepede and mollusk larvae, fish eggs and larvae). Anchovies are prey for other fish and marine mammals.
Stock information
Stock Area
Northwest Africa
Stock information
The anchovy stock is fully-exploited. Due to the species’ short lifespan, their abundance depends greatly on recruitment which poses a threat to the species when their stock is at a fully-exploited level. The majority of catch in the region is caught in Mauritania by Russian, Ukrainian and other European fleets. The most recent catch data available for the fishery is from 2012. Catch levels have fluctuated through recent surveys (2006-2010) averaging 130,000t. TACs are required for anchovy caught in CECAF waters by EU vessels and the management body recommends that these catches should not be increased. Anchovy are caught in large quantities as bycatch by Moroccan sardine boats and in the Mauritanian industrial small pelagics fishery. The target fisheries in the region are sardine, horse mackerel or mackerel.
Management
Anchovy caught by Spanish purse seiners (called traina” in Moroccan seas) and mid-water are managed under a 2007 EU-Morocco agreement to promote sustainable exploitation. A partnership between EU and Mauritania began on 10 July 2015 lasting until 15th November 2019. European Community vessels must be a fee per vessel to improve fisheries policy. Anchovy are most important in the Moroccan commercial fishery out of the East Central Atlantic fisheries. The Fisheries Science Partnership (which manages the small pelagics sardine purse seine fishery in Morocco) has recently been implementing monitoring and enforcement duties in the fishery with some Moroccan fleets conducting observer studies. Though the fishery is lacking in harvest control rules. Monitoring is completed by fishery-dependent data (catch rates) and fishery-independent acoustic studies - though these are limited and host uncertainty which reduces the accuracy in the stock status and management. There are also a large lack of data from foreign and EU fleets. Management measures include vessel limits gear restrictions (seine net dinsensions of 500 m x 90 m) banning of fishing with “lampara” nets vessel size restrictions (< 100 GT); Spatial measures include closed areas (out of the area North of 34degrees 18 minutes and beyond 2 miles); Temporal measures: closed season (two months in February and March) and aquatic species-related measures where cephalopods and crustaceans must not be caught apart from a 5% crab allowance for the Spanish fleets in Morocco. When anchovy are caught bait using purse-seine gear in Mauritania the nets must be 20mm since August 2007 and the bait can only then be used in line and creel fishing.
Capture Information
Purse seine presents minimal impact to habitats, however, there is some capture non-target species including juvenile pelagic species, marine mammals and sharks. The fishing gear can be selective when targeting shoals and the Moroccan FIP considers the Moroccan sardine purse seine fishery to not pose a threat to endangered species.
Alternatives
Based on method of production, fish type, and consumer rating:
only fish rated 2 and below are included as an alternative in
the list below. Click on a name to show the sustainable options
available.
Anchovy, anchovies
Arctic char
Herring or sild
Mackerel
Salmon, Atlantic (Farmed)
Salmon, Chinook, King Salmon
Salmon, Chum, Keta, Calico or Dog salmon
Salmon, Coho , Silver, White
Salmon, Pink, Spring , humpback
Salmon, Sockeye , Red Salmon, Bluebacks, Redfish
Swordfish
Trout, Rainbow
Tuna, albacore
Tuna, bigeye
Tuna, skipjack
Tuna, yellowfin
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally sustainable fish. For
full details, please see the full wild-capture methodology available here.
Stock or species status
| Score |
Descriptor |
| 0 |
Stock under fished and harvested within sustainable limits |
| 0.25 |
Stock fully fished and harvested within sustainable limits |
| 0.5 |
Stock level below sustainable level (BMSY) but harvested within sustainable limits |
| 0.75 |
Stock and fishing level or stock at increased risk |
| 1 |
Stock outside biological and/or safe fishing limits |
Management
| Score |
Descriptor |
| 0 |
Well-managed |
| 0.25 |
Management requires some improvement |
| 0.5 |
Partly effective management |
| 0.75 |
Poorly managed and requires considerable improvement |
| 1 |
No relevant or effective management measures in place |
Capture method and ecological effects
| Score |
Impact |
| 0 |
Very low impact |
| 0.25 |
Low impact |
| 0.5 |
Some or moderate impact |
| 0.75 |
High impact |
| 1 |
Very high impact or illegal |
Where environmental concerns from any one criteria are so great, a ‘critical fail’ may be triggered and the fishery awarded a default red
rating. For full details, please see the full wild-capture methodology available here.
References
Main document : http://www.fao.org/docrep/019/i3346b/i3346b.pdf , http://firms.fao.org/firms/resource/10094/en 1: http://www.fao.org/docrep/019/i3346b/i3346b.pdf 2: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/198568/0 3: http://fishbase.org/summary/66 4: http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/marine_species/wild_species/anchovy/index_en.htm 5: http://www.goodfishguide.org/fish/166/Anchovy,%20anchovies 6: https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/documents/43805/222034/2011-09_EWG+11-17+-+Review+of+advice+for+2012+part+3_JRC67715.pdf 7: http://firms.fao.org/firms/fishery/563/en 8: http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/y5936e/y5936e0a.htm 9: http://firms.fao.org/firms/fishery/564/en 10: http://firms.fao.org/firms/resource/10088/en 11: http://firms.fao.org/firms/resource/10089/en 12: http://firms.fao.org/firms/resource/10097/en 13: http://firms.fao.org/firms/resource/10102/en 14: http://firms.fao.org/firms/resource/10094/en 15: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2006.343.01.0001.01.ENG 16: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1407509544410&uri=CELEX:22013A1207(01) 17: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3212e.pdf 18: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/note/join/2010/438610/IPOL-PECH_NT(2010)438610_EN.pdf 19: http://www.inrh.ma/sites/default/files/fiche_anchois_version2-sw.pdf
The sustainability of fish can vary significantly depending on how and where it has been caught or farmed. Many single species are caught or farmed in a variety of ways and this range shows that, within a species, some sources may be more sustainable than others.
To find out specific ratings, click on the 'Show options for this fish' button under the image of the fish.
'Best choices' are rated 1 and 2 (green), 'Fish to Avoid' are rated 5 (red). Ratings 3 and 4 mean 'Think' (yellow and amber), as there are better rated alternatives.
Fish that are under review are shown with a question mark icon and no rating.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation Society to help consumers and businesses choose the most environmentally sustainable fish.
Seafood sources indicated as, 'To be assessed', are those that have not yet been assessed and assigned a rating or are undergoing a period
of review. These include sources previously rated by MCS for which the rating has lapsed, due to changes in the market or MCS priorities and
resources. Given that these sources are not fully assessed, the profile should not be used to infer the current sustainability of the
fishery or farmed species.
If you are interested in the sustainability of this seafood source, please let us know by emailing
ratings@mcsuk.org
Rating 1 (light green) is associated with the most
sustainably produced seafood.
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
Rating 2 (pale green) is still a good choice, although some
aspects of its production or management could be improved
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
Rating 3 (yellow) based on available information; these
species should probably not be considered sustainable at
this time. Areas requiring improvement in the current
production may be significant. Eat only occasionally and
check www.goodfishguide.org for specific details.
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
Rating 4 (orange) should not be considered sustainable, and
the fish is likely to have significant environmental issues
associated with its production. While it may be from a
deteriorating fishery, it may be one which has improved from
a 5 rating, and positive steps are being taken. However, MCS
would not usually recommend choosing this fish.
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
'Red improver' ratings are assigned to seafood sources which have been assessed and rated 5 (red) due to significant environmental concerns
with one or more aspects of their management, capture or production, yet credible efforts to improve these issues have been agreed through a
Fisheries or Aquaculture Improvement Project – a FIP or an AIP - and work is underway. Such projects are normally publicly listed at
www.fisheryprogress.org. MCS wants to encourage environmental improvements in fisheries and fish farms, and so does not recommend avoiding
these sources, as we normally do for seafood rated 5 (red rated).
'Best choice' fish are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation Society to help businesses and consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
Rating 5 (red) is associated with fish to be avoided on the
basis that all or most of the criteria for sustainablilty
have not been met.
Fish to Eat are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.
Ratings 3 and 4 mean don’t eat too often.
This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.
