The structure of the European sardine stock in the Northeast Atlantic remains a topic of ongoing debate. Two scenarios have been proposed based on differing biological parameters: i) the stock includes the Bay of Biscay, the Celtic Sea, and the English Channel, and ii) the stock is split into two zones: a) the Bay of Biscay and b) the Celtic Sea/English Channel(ICES 2016). However, the Bay of Biscay is considered a data-rich area, while the data for the Celtic Sea/English Channel is mainly limited to landings and a few years of acoustic survey data (ICES 2017). ICES has suggested that providing advice for both sub-areas separately would present reduced risks (ICES 2017)(ICES 2021).  Even so, different methodologies and samples from different years have produced different results, indicating some level of connectivity among populations on a broader regional scale (Neves et al. 2021). Similarly, a recent study confirmed the demographic independence of the North Sea sardine and the South Biscay sardine, although uncertainties arose due to the delineation and connectivity between these stocks (McKeown et al. 2024). 

Considering these concerns regarding stock structure, this profile includes data and information for the Celtic Sea and the English Channel, as provided in the stock assessments.