Taking stock 2023 - are TACs set to achieve MSY?

The report finds that while the EU and UK have made progress in aligning TACs with scientific advice since 2015, they missed the 2020 legal deadline to end overfishing. Analysis of 2023 TACs shows that 25% still exceed scientific advice. The report highlights a systemic lack of ambition for data-limited stocks (precautionary advice) and bycatch stocks compared to target stocks. It also criticises the lack of transparency in the TAC-setting process and the poor implementation of the landing obligation, which risks further overfishing. Key recommendations include setting TACs below scientific advice to account for ecosystem needs and climate change, and improving public access to the decision-making process.

• The EU and UK missed the 2020 legal deadline to end overfishing, although the percentage of TACs set above scientific advice decreased from 48% in 2020 to 25% in 2023.
• There is a significant disparity in how scientific advice is followed based on the type of assessment; 88% of 2023 TACs for MSY-assessed stocks followed advice, while only 41% of those with precautionary advice did.
• Bycatch stocks are consistently managed with lower ambition than target stocks, with 50% of bycatch TACs exceeding scientific advice in 2023 compared to 11% for target stocks.
• The UK has demonstrated a more ecosystem-based approach for certain industrial fisheries, such as setting TACs for forage fish like sandeel below single stock advice to protect predator-prey interactions.
• Poor compliance with the landing obligation and unreported discards mean that TACs set according to catch-based advice may still result in overfishing on the water.
• The TAC-setting process suffers from a lack of transparency and accountability, with the Council of the EU failing to implement European Ombudsman recommendations to publish documents proactively.
• Nine stocks in the core analysis remain below the limit reference point for biomass (Blim) as of 2024, including Irish Sea and Celtic Sea whiting, and Kattegat and Celtic Sea cod.
• The use of 'bycatch TACs' for depleted stocks is often linked to ineffective bycatch reduction plans that do not ensure actual reductions in catches.

APA

ClientEarth (2023). Taking stock 2023 - are TACs set to achieve MSY? https://www.clientearth.org/media/5mblrtjv/taking-stock-2023-are-tacs-set-to-achieve-msy-final.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Taking stock 2023 - are TACs set to achieve MSY? 2023. https://www.clientearth.org/media/5mblrtjv/taking-stock-2023-are-tacs-set-to-achieve-msy-final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=ClientEarth |title=Taking stock 2023 - are TACs set to achieve MSY? |date=November 2023 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/5mblrtjv/taking-stock-2023-are-tacs-set-to-achieve-msy-final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clientearth2023taking, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Taking stock 2023 - are TACs set to achieve MSY?}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/5mblrtjv/taking-stock-2023-are-tacs-set-to-achieve-msy-final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }