Caution! A TAC-Setter’s Guide to the ‘Precautionary Approachだ

The document clarifies that under the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, a lack of data cannot justify inaction in conserving fish stocks. It aims to prevent the misuse of the term 'precautionary' by distinguishing between the general legal approach and specific ICES precautionary reference points used in scientific catch advice.

• Under the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the 'precautionary approach' mandates that uncertainty or insufficient data must not be used as a reason to delay or avoid actions necessary for the conservation of fish stocks and their dependent ecosystems; conversely, decision-makers must increase caution as information becomes more limited.
• The term 'precautionary' is often used inconsistently by CFP stakeholders and decision-makers, necessitating a distinction between the general precautionary approach and the specific precautionary (PA) reference points used by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) for scientific catch advice.

APA

ClientEarth (2025). Caution! A TAC-Setter’s Guide to the ‘Precautionary Approachだ. https://www.clientearth.org/latest/documents/caution-a-tac-setter-s-guide-to-the-precautionary-approach/

Chicago

ClientEarth. Caution! A TAC-Setter’s Guide to the ‘Precautionary Approachだ. 2025. https://www.clientearth.org/latest/documents/caution-a-tac-setter-s-guide-to-the-precautionary-approach/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=ClientEarth |title=Caution! A TAC-Setter’s Guide to the ‘Precautionary Approachだ |date=27 March 2025 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/latest/documents/caution-a-tac-setter-s-guide-to-the-precautionary-approach/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clientearth2025caution, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Caution! A TAC-Setter’s Guide to the ‘Precautionary Approachだ}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/latest/documents/caution-a-tac-setter-s-guide-to-the-precautionary-approach/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }