Report of the FAO Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish off Northwest Africa. Banjul, Gambia, 2–11 May 2006. / Rapport du Groupe de travail de la FAO sur l’évaluation des petits pélagiques au large de l’Afrique nord-occidentale. Banjul, Gambie, 2-11 mai 2006.
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The sixth meeting of the FAO Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish off Northwest Africa was held in Banjul, Gambia, from 2 to11 May 2006. This year, the Group made decisions on reference points for management of the pelagic stocks in the region. The advice for the stocks is given in relation to these reference points and on the basis of predictions for the next five years. The results of the assessments indicate that the stock of round sardinella is overexploited and co nsequently a decrease in effort in total sardinella fishery was recommended. The Atlantic horse mackerel was found to be probably fully exploited whereas the Cunene horse mackerel was found not fully exploited. Given that this is a mixed fishery, a decrease in the catches of horse mackerel was recommended. The mackerel was found not to be fully exploited, but given the mixed fishery with other species, it was recommended that the catches should not exceed 200 000 tonnes. The sardine stock in Zone A+B was found not fully exploited and the Working Group recommended not to increase catches above the average level of the last 5 years. The stock of sardine in Zone C was found to be underexploited and it was noted that the total catch level may be progressively increased during a five-year period. It was not possible to reach reliable conclusions from the assessments for bonga and anchovy, but in the case of anchovy acoustic estimates show an increasing biomass in recen t years. For bonga the catch rates are stable. The Working Group recommended as a precautionary measure that the catch level should not exceed the average over the five and three last years, for bonga and anchovy respectively.