A new report offers the most comprehensive analysis of British fisheries as an independent coastal state post-Brexit.
Published by Oceana UK, the research casts the rapidly declining health of the British Isles marine ecosystems in sharp relief.
According to this assessment, half of the country’s top 10 fish stocks are now critically low (27%), overexploited (25%), or both. Just 41% are considered to be in a healthy state. North Sea cod, North Sea herring, North East Atlantic mackerel and Southern North Sea edible crab are amongst the worst impacted.
You can read the Deep Decline report here.
‘We don’t have another 10 years, I promise you that now. I have seen it since I was a young lad out on the boats, I’m now 66, and I can tell you we are on the edge of a precipice. We’re taking too much, too fast. If fishermen are going to be true to themselves, we’ve got to stop,’ said Clive Mills, a Sussex fisherman.
‘Fifty years ago, when they brought in fish quotas, we asked ‘what are those for?’. To protect the future of fishing, we were told. And we all thought, that would be good, we need a future for fishing,’ he continued. ‘But we haven’t stayed that course, and now here we are. It’s got to stop.’
The publication follows this weekend’s news that experts have recommended slashing North Atlantic mackerel catch limits by 70% in a bid to avert the species dying out. Meanwhile, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea has also advised removing all cod quotas for the region in 2026 to offer a chance of recovery to stocks on the verge of collapse.
According to researchers, UK catch limits have been unsustainably high for 21 of the past 29 years. Oceana UK has criticised the government for its lack of coherent strategy on the future of fisheries, and has issued strategic advice for policymakers, This includes:
- Urgently deliver a strategy to end overfishing by the end of 2026.
- Put in place a legal deadline to rebuild fish stocks that holds government accountable.
- Set all catch limits in line with the science by the end of 2025.
- Publish an annual Parliament-scrutinised audit.
- Ensure a fair deal for fishers needing support to adjust to lower catch limits and sustainable practices.
Members of the public are also being asked to contact the Prime Minister, Environment Secretary, and their local MP.
‘We need healthy seas to have a healthy fishing industry, and recognition by government of the need for prioritised fishing opportunities for sustainable local fisheries. If the science says slow down, we should listen — because without fish, there’s no future for our boats or our communities,’ said Edward Baker, CEO Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association.
‘But we need government to support the industry, if changes are needed to allow stocks to recover then fishermen need support from government to ensure their livelihoods (either via diversification or other means) so that we still have fishermen to provide for the UK’s food security,’ he continued.
Image: Paul Einerhand / Unsplash
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