A Crucial Moment for Protecting Precious Fish Stocks in the North East Atlantic
Erin Priddle
Fish stocks of mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and blue whiting in the North East Atlantic are of huge ecological and economic importance. Yet rather than being carefully managed for the long-term, they are being overexploited, due to years of failure by governments to agree to allocate catch quotas in a way which safeguards their future.
Over the past six years, the total combined catch of mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and blue whiting in the North East Atlantic has exceeded scientific advice set by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) by almost five million tonnes. This level of overexploitation is occurring in data-rich and wealthy nations that are considered to have some of the most sophisticated fisheries management systems in the world. Yet inaction to agree a quota allocation in line with science is putting the long-term health of these fisheries at risk.
International Responsibility for Fish Stocks
Fish populations span numerous international fishing zones, and as such, quota sharing agreements are amongst the key political tools that are crucial to ensure enough fish are left in the sea for populations to replenish. However, these highly dynamic stocks shift their distribution across geo-political boundaries, making the need for international fisheries management all the more urgent. These shifts have been exacerbated by climate change, which is impacting on, and accelerating, stock distribution in the region. The need for adaptive, resilient fisheries management is therefore urgent, particularly in light of climate-related impacts, meaning governments must act now to secure long-term management plans that can protect the future health of these stocks.
Herring fishing in Boulogne sur mer. Photo: MSC.
What the Scientists Say
Every year ICES set out what the sustainable catch levels of each of these stocks should be in order for them to remain abundant. Yet every year, the relevant coastal states of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Russia, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and the United Kingdom set national quotas that, when combined, exceed the scientific advice. Data released by ICES last month indicated that the combined total of quotas set by each country for mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and blue whiting for 2021 were set above the scientifically advised limits by 41%, 35%, and 25% respectively.
Long-Term Consequences of Overexploitation
The data released by ICES also indicated an overall downward trend for all three of these pelagic stocks over recent years. The stock of Atlanto-Scandian herring in particular has declined in size by 36% over the last decade. Fish stocks can collapse if overexploited for a long period, as was the case with Atlanto-Scandian herring, which collapsed in the 1960s and took 20 years to recover.
A future collapse of mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and blue whiting in the North East Atlantic could have devastating consequences for these iconic species, local ocean biodiversity, and the fishing communities that depend on them. Popular seafood products using these species could vanish from supermarket shelves and menus across Europe and Japan, and fish farms could also face disruption to their feed supply, as blue whiting is a key ingredient in fishmeal.
Already these fisheries have lost important sustainability credentials when their certification status was suspended back in 2019 (for mackerel) and 2020 (for Atlanto-scandian herring and blue whiting). With stock status on a downward trend, and loss of certified status, the future health of these fisheries, against a general trend of overexploitation, is brought into question.
Blue whiting advised catch limits and sum of actual quotas, 2012-2021. Photo: MSC.
Decision Time
Governments have a responsibility on behalf of the public to safeguard our ocean for current and future generations. Although individual fisheries managers have a role to play, international cooperation is essential to secure adequate protection of our fish stocks, which governments must protect on behalf of society. This week, representatives from each state fishing in the North East Atlantic will attend the annual Coastal States Meetings (organised by the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission) to agree how quotas of mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and blue whiting will be shared in 2022. It is essential that negotiating delegations reach a quota sharing agreement in line with scientific advice, and embedded in robust, long-term management plans. Only through effective management at the international level will we be able to secure healthy, resilient fish stocks for current and future generations.
If we follow the science, experience shows us that we can reap the ocean’s potential to feed and sustain the lives of billions of people, while also protecting its incredible biodiversity. But we must not wait until it’s too late.
Erin Priddle is the Regional Director for North Europe at Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). If you’ve enjoyed this article from Erin, follow MSC @mscecolabel on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and check out their website.