Table 1.

Default parameter values and species' abundances for modelled species. Spawning stock biomass (SSB) was obtained from survey data or ICES stock assessments, minimum and maximum estimates of SSB from ICES stock assessments were used to filter model variants. F_MSY and F_HIST were used in simulations. Lifetype indicates if the species is pelagic (P), semi-pelagic and demersal (D1) or strictly demersal (D2), and a and b are the species-specific ‘shape’ parameters, enabling conversion from length (L, cm) to weight (W, g) via the relation W = aL^b, L_∞ is the asymptotic length, L_mat is the length at 50% maturity and ĸ is the von Bertalanffy growth parameter. Maximum SSB was estimated with ICES stock assessment data if these were available; otherwise, estimates were based on ICES North Sea International Bottom Trawl Survey data

Common name	Species	Lifetype	L∞ (cm)	K (year−1)	Lmat (cm)	a (×1000)	b	Maximum SSB (t)	Minimum SSB (t)	Maximum SSB (t)	FMSY (year−1)	FHIST (year−1)
Sprat	Sprattus sprattus	P	17	0·681	12	5·9	3·109	380 236	78 083	380 236	1·30	1·06
Norway Pout	Trisopterus esmarkii	D1	24	0·849	14	7·5	3·024	462 487	63 034	462 487	0·35	0·48
Sandeel	Ammodytes spp.	P	24	1·000	12	4·9	2·783	1 243 757	148 723	1 243 757	0·35	0·57
Poor Cod	Trisopterus minutus	D1	23	0·520	15	8·2	3·087	786 976	–	–	0·72	0·55
Long Rough Dab	Hippoglossoides platessoides	D2	25	0·340	15	5·3	3·143	46 140	–	–	0·60	0·55
Dab	Limanda limanda	D2	32	0·536	13	15·9	2·864	276 779	–	–	0·41	0·55
Herring	Clupea harengus	P	33	0·606	23	4·8	3·198	2 857 134	691 752	2 857 134	0·25	0·25
Horse Mackerel	Trachurus trachurus	P	28	0·380	19	31·6	2·652	193 771	–	–	0·50	0·63
Lemon Sole	Microstomus kitt	D2	37	0·420	27	12·3	2·971	24 915	–	–	0·33	0·55
Sole	Solea solea	D2	47	0·284	21	8·9	3·017	90 300	17 600	90 300	0·22	0·53
Mackerel	Scomber scombrus	P	38	0·510	26	5·2	3·167	248 438	–	–	0·32	0·63
Whiting	Merlangius merlangus	D2	52	0·323	21	9·9	2·943	527 871	181 713	527 871	0·21	0·37
Witch	Glyptocephalus cynoglossus	D2	44	0·200	29	1·7	3·389	38 129	–	–	0·27	0·55
Gurnard	Eutriglia gurnardus	D2	43	0·266	18	16·0	2·815	166 957	–	–	0·27	0·55
Plaice	Pleuronectes platessa	D2	65	0·122	22	12·5	2·943	500 800	182 000	500 800	0·25	0·55
Starry Ray	Amblyraja radiata	D2	66	0·230	46	10·7	2·940	74 341	–	–	0·15	0·55
Haddock	Melanogrammus aeglefinus	D2	71	0·271	27	9·2	3·013	524 367	63 074	524 367	0·30	0·58
Cuckoo Ray	Leucoraja naevus	D2	92	0·110	59	2·6	3·217	7809	–	–	0·11	0·55
Monkfish	Lophius piscatorius	D2	106	0·180	61	29·7	2·841	15 000	–	–	0·10	0·55
Cod	Gadus morhua	D2	150	0·216	54	8·1	3·050	86 562	24 534	86 562	0·19	0·88
Saithe	Pollachius virens	D1	119	0·175	49	8·5	3·024	327 700	105 400	327 700	0·30	0·38