{"id":21976,"date":"2025-07-18T10:55:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T10:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifeplatform.eu\/?p=21976"},"modified":"2025-07-18T11:09:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T11:09:42","slug":"briefing-endorsed-by-life-and-29-organisations-calls-for-reform-of-scientific-advice-underpinning-eu-and-uk-fisheries-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeplatform.eu\/ma\/briefing-endorsed-by-life-and-29-organisations-calls-for-reform-of-scientific-advice-underpinning-eu-and-uk-fisheries-management\/","title":{"rendered":"Briefing Endorsed by LIFE and 29 Organisations Calls for Reform of Scientific Advice Underpinning EU and UK Fisheries Management"},"content":{"rendered":"

A recent briefing, endorsed by the Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) alongside 29 organisations, draws attention to fundamental shortcomings in the scientific advice used to guide fisheries management in the European Union and the United Kingdom. The document is intended to assist responsible decision-makers \u2013 including the European Commission, the Council of the EU, Member States, the UK Government and the devolved administrations \u2013 in ensuring that advice on fishing opportunities better reflects legal obligations and sustainability goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

The briefing, part of a wider <\/span>series<\/a><\/strong>, highlights a growing concern that the current advice provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), as well as the nature of requests made by fisheries managers to ICES, does not fully reflect all relevant legal requirements or policy objectives. In particular, the briefing calls for a more precautionary, ecosystem-based approach that supports the recovery of fish stocks, safeguards the health of marine ecosystems, and ensures long-term resilience in the face of pressures such as climate change.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fishers face low quotas and are at risk of further closures because the targets within the scientific advice are not fit for purpose, simply we are aiming to leave too few fish in the population.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scientific Advice at the Core of Sustainable Fisheries<\/b><\/p>\n

LIFE and partner organisations argue that scientific advice must form the foundation of effective fisheries management. To this end, the briefing advocates for advice that is explicitly recovery-focused, precautionary, and ecosystem-based in contrast to the current approach which is overly focused on individual stock assessments and insufficiently attuned to broader ecological interactions and cumulative pressures.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recommendations aimed at improving the robustness and relevance of scientific advice include:<\/span><\/p>\n