Cod monitoring: Results 2015, quarter 1

Between 2011 and 2013, the monitoring program existed of an extended analysis of self-reported cod catch data (both landings and discards) in combination with the regular DCF discard monitoring program, an extra observer program and the CCTV-project in TR-fisheries (see Kraan et al. (2013 and 2014)). Over the years, the ministry of Economic Affairs and IMARES drew the conclusion that monitoring cod discards via the self-reporting scheme asked for disproportionately high effort of the TR-skippers while discards were hardly affecting CpUE rates (Ministry of Economic Affairs (2014)). Therefore, it was agreed upon a yearly analysis of the EU-logbook (hereafter logbook) data in combination with VMS-data, which is readily available. However, to remain updated, an overview of fishing activity, cod catches and cod Landings per Unit Effort (LpUE) of four gear types per quarter is requested by the ministry of Economic Affairs. This report presents the results of the first quarter in 2015.