Briefing Series “Recommendations to the EU and the UK on the setting of fishing opportunities” – Briefing 5 of 11: Fishing opportunities in an ecosystem context

This Briefing is part of a joint Briefing Series, co-signed by 29 organisations (including environmental NGOs and recreational representatives), which presents our key recommendations to EU and UK decision-makers regarding the setting of recovery-focused, precautionary and ecosystem-based fishing opportunities. 

A healthy, resilient and productive ocean is a fundamental prerequisite for thriving fisheries and coastal communities. This Briefing explains why and how EU and UK decision-makers should ensure that the fishing opportunities they set - and the scientific advice that these are underpinned by - are explicitly geared towards:  

In order to achieve this, we recommend that they (1) request fully recovery-focused and ecosystem-based advice (also see Briefing 3), and – where this is not yet available – (2) incorporate the necessary precaution into their fishing opportunities by setting them below the single-stock advice (also see Briefing 1). 

Related links: 

Find all Briefings as part of the Briefing Series “Recommendations to the EU and the UK on the setting of fishing opportunities” here. 

Find a joint letter that was sent to EU Commissioner Kadis in April 2025 regarding shortcomings in the scientific advisory approach here. 

Find other files produced or co-signed by ClientEarth related to the annual negotiations on fishing opportunities from 2015 onwards here.