Report | August 26, 2021
Recommendations to the UK on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2022
On behalf of Blue Marine Foundation, ClientEarth, Marine Conservation Society, Oceana and Whale and Dolphin Conservation, we wish to present our recommendations on the setting of Northeast Atlantic fishing opportunities for 2022. Our intent is to assist the UK Government in making decisions on fishing opportunities that end overfishing, significantly contribute to restoring and/or maintaining all fish populations above healthy levels and safeguard marine ecosystem functions.
Overfishing and UK ambitions as a sovereign coastal state
The UK Government stated its commitment to become a world leader in fisheries management by ‘setting a gold standard’ following its departure from the EU1 as well as continuing to uphold the vision of ‘clean, healthy, safe, productive, and biologically diverse seas’ set out in the UK’s Marine Strategy2 . The UK has proudly publicised its claims of leadership on marine conservation issues including a specific commitment signed by the Prime Minister within the ‘Leaders’ Pledge for Nature’ to end the unsustainable use of the ocean3 and an acknowledgement within the G7 Environment Ministers’ Communique4 of the negative ecological, economic and social impact of overfishing. The 2020 UK Fisheries Act and the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement6 (TCA) commit to ensure that fishing activities are environmentally sustainable and contribute to restoring and maintaining fish stocks above scientifically defined maximum sustainable yield (MSY) biomass reference points.

