The complete stock structure of North Sea sandeel is unclear, and although several reproductively isolated sub-populations have been identified, some exchange appears to take place between neighbouring populations in early life stages. From 2010 onwards ICES has present advice for the North sea sandeel divided into 7 management areas, based on the assumption that this will better reflect the stock structure and enable improved management avoiding local depletion (ICES 2010). This profile represents the SA3 area: Central Eastern North Sea. Since 2017, the name of this management area changed to Sandeel Area 3r because of a change in the statistical rectangles (divisions 4.a–b and Subdivision 20) included in the management area (ICES 2017).