Recommendations to the UK on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2025

The document argues that the UK has consistently set Total Allowable Catches (TACs) above scientific advice, failing to meet its own legal commitments under the Fisheries Act 2020 and international agreements. It recommends setting 2025 catch limits well below the maximum levels advised by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to create a 'climate buffer' and prioritize rapid stock recovery. Key proposals include implementing Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) to combat illegal discarding, adopting an ecosystem-based approach that accounts for predator needs (especially for forage fish), and reinstating TACs for stocks where they were removed. The authors emphasize the need for a precautionary approach to deep-sea species and the urgent recovery of severely depleted stocks, such as Celtic Sea and Irish Sea cod, which are currently below biomass limit reference points.

• The UK has a history of setting fishing limits above scientific advice; a Cefas report found that only 46% of assessed TACs negotiated by the UK for 2024 followed scientific advice.
• The authors recommend setting TACs well below the maximum catch levels advised by ICES to maximize ecosystem health and provide a buffer against climate change and other stressors.
• Current ICES single-stock advice is criticized for not explicitly incorporating requirements for population health, food web integrity, or the needs of marine predators, particularly for forage fish like sandeel, herring, sardines, and sprat.
• The document identifies a 'vicious cycle' where depleted 'bycatch' stocks are overfished to avoid short-term fishery closures (choke risks), which prevents long-term recovery.
• Widespread non-compliance with the Landing Obligation (LO) and illegal discarding undermine sustainable fisheries; the authors call for the swift roll-out of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) with cameras.
• Several key fish populations are in a critical state and below the biomass limit reference point (Blim), including Celtic Sea and Irish Sea cod and whiting, and herring in the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, and southwest of Ireland.
• The authors argue against the removal of TACs, citing examples like dab and flounder, and recommend that any removed TACs be reinstated to prevent unlimited catches.
• Deep-sea species and their habitats are exceptionally vulnerable to over-exploitation; the authors recommend a zero TAC for species listed as vulnerable, threatened, or endangered, such as roundnose grenadier.
• The European eel is listed as Critically Endangered, and the authors recommend stopping all targeted commercial and recreational fishing and prohibiting international trade.

APA

ClientEarth (2024). Recommendations to the UK on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2025. https://www.clientearth.org/media/t22bchnp/ngo-tac-recommendations-to-uk-for-2025-final.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Recommendations to the UK on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2025. 2024. https://www.clientearth.org/media/t22bchnp/ngo-tac-recommendations-to-uk-for-2025-final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=ClientEarth |title=Recommendations to the UK on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2025 |date=12 September 2024 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/t22bchnp/ngo-tac-recommendations-to-uk-for-2025-final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{clientearth2024recommendations, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Recommendations to the UK on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2025}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/t22bchnp/ngo-tac-recommendations-to-uk-for-2025-final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }