Restoring Europe’s fish stocks and the ecosystems that sustain them must be an urgent political priority. For LIFE, this begins with fisheries management that draws only on the best available science.
The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) clearly states in Article 2.2 that fish populations must be restored and maintained above levels capable of producing maximum sustainable yield (MSY). Yet EU fisheries management has persistently failed to achieve this. A central reason lies in how ICES scientific advice is generated, interpreted, and applied. Biological reference points such as Btrigger and Blim—intended as warning thresholds—have instead been used as management targets, keeping many stocks dangerously close to their lowest viable levels. At the same time, ICES assessments often overlook key ecological realities, including predator–prey interactions, natural mortality changes, changing environmental conditions, and the natural age and size structure of fish populations.
The results are now visible across European waters. Years of overly optimistic biomass estimates and quotas set above precautionary levels have contributed to repeated stock collapses and long-term declines—from pollack, to Baltic cod, herring and sprat, to name a few. These failures point to a systemic issue: scientific advice is constrained by restricted modelling parameters, limited ecosystem context, and governance structures that do not incentivise stock recovery.
To reverse these trends, the EU must scrutinise how ICES advice is produced, mandate more ecosystem-based assessments, and ensure that the design and application of Multiannual Management Plans (MAPs) support—not hinder—stock rebuilding. The unique way in which the EU requests and ICES operationalise MSY urgently requires reform. Without clearer, recovery-oriented guidance, fish stocks will remain trapped in cycles of low biomass, and fishing viability—particularly for small-scale coastal fleets—will continue to be seriously affected.
Reforming the EU–ICES Agreement is the most cost-effective step toward restoring abundance. Science must be empowered to deliver advice that enables stocks to grow, expands fishing opportunities, and rebuilds resilience for coastal communities.
LIFE stands ready to contribute to this reform process and has recently engaged the European Commission through an exchange of letters shared below. By improving the quality and use of ICES science, strengthening decision-making, and integrating the wisdom of fishers, the EU can finally deliver healthy seas, thriving fish stocks, and sustainable coastal livelihoods.
LIFE/DG Mare exchange May 2025
LIFE/DG Mare exchange October 2025
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