A summary of sardine assessment and projection work towards SWG-PEL management recommendations

This presentation summarises five documents of work done for the Small Pelagic Scientific Working Group over the past 9 months relating to the assessment of sardine and scientific management recommendations under Exceptional Circumstances. The assessment was updated to November 2021 based on the data available thus far, including approximate estimates of sardine abundance from the delayed and shortened December 2021 hydroacoustic survey. The impact of alternative levels of directed catches and bycatches, west and east of Cape Agulhas were investigated with short-term projections in order that TACs and TABs for 2022 could be recommended.