Euronews OCEAN Season 6, Episode 4 – Understanding hake’s incredible recovery in the Atlantic

Northern hake faced a critical period of overfishing in the '90s, pushing it near the brink of collapse, with the overall biomass dangerously low for about a decade. However, the European Union's intervention in 2004, with a recovery plan that set science-based fishing limits and gear restrictions, marked the beginning of a positive change. By 2016, the hake population reached a record biomass, showcasing a significant recovery to more than triple the levels seen in 1980.

While the European hake has made a commendable comeback and is no longer seen as a species of concern by the IUCN, the situation for Mediterranean hake is less optimistic. All Mediterranean hake stocks are considered unsustainable, and despite some small signs of improvement, they are still listed as vulnerable.

In this episode of "Ocean," filmed in Spain, we visit Galicia to see how the recovery of the northern hake has benefited local fishers and consumers. We then discuss what lessons can be learned from this example to improve the situation of Mediterranean hake stocks with researchers and fishermen in Mallorca.

Read the full article on Euronews website.

OCEAN is a Euronews magazine in collaboration with the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE). It features monthly 8-minute videos, where we discover fascinating projects and developments related to the ocean and coastal communities.

Broadcast since 2019, OCEAN features episodes on marine protected areas, small-scale fisheries, ocean energy, aquaculture, IUU fishing, sustainable fisheries and much more. Missed one? Check them out on the Euronews website! You will also find some nice extras about these topics.

Share on social media, tag @EU_MARE and @euronews and use the hashtag #oceanEU