This report provides the main results of the fifteenth underwater television survey of
the various Nephrops patches in Functional Unit 19. The survey was multi disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV and other ecosystem data. In 2024 a total 42
UWTV stations were successfully completed. The mean density estimates varied
considerably across the different patches. The 2024 raised abundance estimate
showed a 32% increase from the 2023 estimate and at 291 million burrows is below
the MSY Btrigger reference point (430 million). Using the 2024 estimate of abundance
and updated stock data implies catch in 2025 that correspond to the F ranges in the
EU multi annual plan for Western Waters are between 385 and 433 tonnes
(assuming that discard rates and fishery selection patterns do not change from the
average of 2021–2023). One species of sea pen was observed; Virgularia mirabilis
which has been observed on previous surveys of FU19. Trawl marks were observed
at 13% of the stations surveyed
