Some Member States (France, Ireland, Spain, United Kingdom, Belgium and Portugal) have "demonstrably been more vocal than others in pushing for TACs (Total Allowable Catches) to be set above scientifically advised levels", deplores the ClientEarth organisation, in a report published on Thursday 14 November on progress made in stock management according to maximum sustainable yield (MSY).
According to ClientEarth, which estimates that progress is too slow to reach MSY by 2020 in fish stock management, the socio-economic claims of the countries cited are not based on convincing evidence.
The report shows that one year before the 2020 deadline, 64% of the 2019 TACs for MSY-assessed stocks follow scientific advice, compared to only 15% for stocks with 'precautionary advice'.
Finally, ClientEarth denounces "the ongoing lack of transparency and accountability of the TAC-setting process" by European fisheries ministers, which prevents civil society from properly monitoring and engaging in the process and "helps ministers set unsustainable TACs behind closed doors" (see EUROPE 12359/10).
The Fisheries Council of the EU will set quotas for 2020 (Atlantic, Channel, North Sea) in December (see EUROPE 12356/17). Link to the ClientEarth report: http://bit.ly/2CNOhOJ (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)