Recommendations to the UK on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2022 August 2021 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 Act5 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. It is vital the UK Government delivers on these objectives to achieve sustainable fisheries and healthy, resilient marine ecosystems – key components of Good Environmental Status (GES) under the Fisheries Act. Such achievements are also essential if the UK is to support prosperous domestic fishing fleets and coastal communities, as well as meet its commitments and obligations under international law such as the United Nations Convention
1
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). 2018. Fisheries white paper: Sustainable fisheries for future generations. 25 October 2018. 2 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). 2019. Marine Strategy Part One: UK updated assessment and Good Environmental Status. October 2019. 3
https://www.leaderspledgefornature.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Leaders_Pledge_for_Nature_27.09.20ENGLISH.pdf 4 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/g7-climate-and-environment-ministers-meeting-may-2021communique/g7-climate-and-environment-ministers-communique-london-21-may-2021 5
UK Fisheries Act. 2020. Link. Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of the other part. 2020. Link. 6
1