“Best available” is not good enough - addressing shortcomings in the current scientific advice

The document identifies fundamental shortcomings in the scientific advice provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) regarding fishing opportunities in the EU and UK. It asserts that current advice and the requests guiding it do not fully align with legal requirements and policy goals. The authors call on EU and UK decision-makers to request that ICES clarify these shortcomings, address identified issues, and provide interim recommendations to ensure fisheries decisions effectively support stock recovery and ocean health.

• The scientific advice on fishing opportunities provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), as well as the requests from fishery managers that guide it, fail to fully incorporate all relevant policy objectives and legal requirements of the UK and EU.
• To improve the basis for fisheries decisions, the briefing recommends that EU and UK decision-makers require ICES to clarify shortcomings in its advisory approach, resolve identified issues, and offer interim guidance on using existing advice to meet legal and policy goals.

APA

ClientEarth (2025). “Best available” is not good enough - addressing shortcomings in the current scientific advice. https://www.clientearth.org/latest/documents/briefing-series-recommendations-to-the-eu-and-the-uk-on-the-setting-of-fishing-opportunities-briefing-3-of-11-best-available-is-not-good-enough-addressing-shortcomings-in-the-current-scientific-advice/

Chicago

ClientEarth. “Best available” is not good enough - addressing shortcomings in the current scientific advice. 2025. https://www.clientearth.org/latest/documents/briefing-series-recommendations-to-the-eu-and-the-uk-on-the-setting-of-fishing-opportunities-briefing-3-of-11-best-available-is-not-good-enough-addressing-shortcomings-in-the-current-scientific-advice/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=ClientEarth |title=“Best available” is not good enough - addressing shortcomings in the current scientific advice |date=17 July 2025 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/latest/documents/briefing-series-recommendations-to-the-eu-and-the-uk-on-the-setting-of-fishing-opportunities-briefing-3-of-11-best-available-is-not-good-enough-addressing-shortcomings-in-the-current-scientific-advice/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clientearth2025best, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{“Best available” is not good enough - addressing shortcomings in the current scientific advice}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/latest/documents/briefing-series-recommendations-to-the-eu-and-the-uk-on-the-setting-of-fishing-opportunities-briefing-3-of-11-best-available-is-not-good-enough-addressing-shortcomings-in-the-current-scientific-advice/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }