Call for Evidence on future management of Sandeels and Norway pout

The UK Marine Strategy and the Fisheries Act 2020 highlight the importance of taking an ecosystem-based approach to the management of fisheries and the wider marine environment. Forage fish such as sandeels and Norway pout play a key role in the health of the wider marine ecosystem, acting as a food source for manay commerical fish stocks and vulnerable marine species including seabirds, cetaceans and seals. For example, there is evidence that increased fishing pressure on certain North Sea sandeel stocks is linked to a reduction of breeding success of kittiwakes. Sandeels are highly sensitive to changing environmental conditions and the increased effects of climate change is negatively impacting on the health of the North Sea sandeel stocks. This additional pressure combined with the continued removal of sandeels through industrial fishing methods could result in further declines of threatened and vulnerable species in the wider marine environment which r