EU Reporter, 14 January 2021: EU, Norway and UK can deliver on leaders’ pledge for nature this week by ending overfishing
As officials from the EU, Norway and the UK meet virtually this week to negotiate fishing limits for shared fish populations in 2021, the Our Fish campaign today called on all three parties to make 2021 the year they collectively fish within scientific advice.
A recent analysis of joint EU, Norwegian and UK fishing practices, published by Our Fish, demonstrates how for the last 20 years, Norway and the EU, including the UK, have consistently set annual fishing limits for shared stocks above scientific advice. On average, Total Allowable Catches (TACs) as part of the EU-Norway Agreement exceed scientific advice by an average of 11% between 2001 and 2020.
“2021 will be different for the EU, Norway and the UK on many fronts – one of these changes must include a new commitment to end overfishing of shared fish populations, in order to ensure their common seas can continue to support jobs and communities on all our coasts, and to build the resilience needed to bolster our oceans against the pressure of climate change,” said Our Fish Programme Director Rebecca Hubbard.
EU, Norway and UK can deliver on leaders’ pledge for nature this week by ending overfishing