Ask the right question, get the right answer: Scientific advice for bycatch or non-targeted stocks that have zero catch advice

The document criticises the European Commission for requesting 'technical service' catch scenarios from ICES for fish stocks that have official zero-catch advice, arguing this prioritises target fisheries over the legal sustainability requirements of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). It asserts that only the official stock-specific advice reflects the goal of restoring stocks above levels capable of producing Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). To restore vulnerable stocks like Irish Sea whiting and West of Scotland cod, the author recommends cutting target stock TACs, implementing Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM), and developing rebuilding plans with spatial or seasonal closures.

• The European Commission has requested 'technical service' documents from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to provide additional catch scenarios for stocks that have official zero-catch advice, which creates confusion for decision-makers setting Total Allowable Catches (TACs).
• The author contends that the Commission's requests ask the 'wrong question' by prioritising the continuation of target fisheries over the sustainability of bycatch stocks, thereby failing to manage vulnerable stocks in accordance with EU law.
• Only the official stock-specific ICES advice, based on the MSY or precautionary approach, meets the legally binding sustainability requirements of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) to restore stocks above levels capable of producing Maximum Sustainable Yield.
• Specific stocks identified as being in a poor state and subject to zero-catch advice for 2021 include Irish Sea whiting and West of Scotland cod, while Celtic Sea cod was noted as being in a 'historically bad state' in previous advice.

APA

Grossmann, J., & Druel, E. (2020). Ask the right question, get the right answer: Scientific advice for bycatch or non-targeted stocks that have zero catch advice. ClientEarth. https://www.clientearth.org/media/gznp45nb/ask-the-right-question-get-the-right-answer-scientific-advice-for-bycatch-or-nontargeted-stocks-that-have-zero-catch-advice-ce-en.pdf

Chicago

Grossmann, Jenni, and Elisabeth Druel. Ask the right question, get the right answer: Scientific advice for bycatch or non-targeted stocks that have zero catch advice. ClientEarth, 2020. https://www.clientearth.org/media/gznp45nb/ask-the-right-question-get-the-right-answer-scientific-advice-for-bycatch-or-nontargeted-stocks-that-have-zero-catch-advice-ce-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Grossmann |first1=Jenni |last2=Druel |first2=Elisabeth |title=Ask the right question, get the right answer: Scientific advice for bycatch or non-targeted stocks that have zero catch advice |publisher=ClientEarth |date=July 2020 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/gznp45nb/ask-the-right-question-get-the-right-answer-scientific-advice-for-bycatch-or-nontargeted-stocks-that-have-zero-catch-advice-ce-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{grossmann2020ask, author = {Grossmann, Jenni and Druel, Elisabeth}, title = {{Ask the right question, get the right answer: Scientific advice for bycatch or non-targeted stocks that have zero catch advice}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/gznp45nb/ask-the-right-question-get-the-right-answer-scientific-advice-for-bycatch-or-nontargeted-stocks-that-have-zero-catch-advice-ce-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }