Advice and Recommendations

The Pelagic Advisory Council wrote to the European Commission proposing a comprehensive request to ICES for a long-term management strategy for Northeast Atlantic mackerel, using a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) as the key tool. The letter notes that the stock is close to its biological safety limit due to persistent overfishing by coastal states exceeding scientific advice, and argues that the existing request from the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, the UK, and Greenland is too narrow in scope. PelAC calls for an ambitious, rebuilding-oriented MSE that prioritizes stock recovery, integrates ecosystem and climate considerations, tests robustness against uncertainties such as recruitment failure and catch overshoots, and involves stakeholders throughout the process.

The Pelagic Advisory Council wrote to the European Commission with its recommendations on 2027 fishing opportunities for pelagic stocks, broadly advising the EU to follow the ICES scientific advice for each stock. It strongly criticized non-EU coastal states — Norway, the UK, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Russia — for setting unilateral, excessive quotas and failing to agree on sharing arrangements, and called for trade-based deterrents and EU leverage to end this overfishing. The letter also raised concerns about the quality of scientific surveys and assessments, urged the development of ecosystem-based long-term management strategies, and stressed the growing impact of climate change on fish stocks.

The PelAC submitted advice to the EU on revising the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), highlighting gaps in addressing climate change, ocean acidification, and ecosystem-based management. They recommend strengthening data collection, aligning policies (e.g., CFP and MSFD), and adopting ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) to bridge high-level goals with operational decisions. The revision should also improve stakeholder involvement, harmonize thresholds, and ensure coordinated, science-based implementation across sectors.

The PelAC provides 2027 TAC recommendations for herring stocks, highlighting concerns over declining biomass, stock mixing, and survey limitations. It calls for improved assessments, genetic analysis, and coordinated research to address knowledge gaps. The advice emphasizes sustainable management and ecosystem considerations for long-term herring stock health.

The PelAC expresses concern over the 70% reduction in ringfenced fisheries funding in the EU’s 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, warning it risks underfunding critical areas like energy transition and bycatch reduction. They urge ringfenced budgets for data collection (essential for science-based policy) and Advisory Councils (vital for stakeholder engagement), emphasizing that competition for funds under the new MFF threatens fairness and long-term planning. The  PelAC recommends maintaining inflation-adjusted funding to uphold the Common Fisheries Policy’s objectives.

The Pelagic Advisory Council (PelAC) urges the EU to take decisive action in Northeast Atlantic mackerel negotiations, warning that the current deadlock and unilateral overfishing by non-EU Coastal States threaten both stock sustainability and the EU’s fair share. PelAC calls for a return to a comprehensive sharing agreement, full EU engagement in multilateral talks, and robust support for affected EU fleets to mitigate economic uncertainty. The letter underscores the need for a strong, unified EU negotiating position to restore balance and protect the long-term viability of the fishery and dependent coastal communities.

This joint advice from PelAC and NWWAC outlines key recommendations to strengthen the internal functioning of EU Advisory Councils, focusing on clarifying roles, fostering respectful collaboration, and addressing issues such as power imbalances, inappropriate behavior, and administrative burdens. It proposes a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to standardize expectations, introduce performance reviews, and establish mechanisms for conflict resolution and capacity building. The aim is to enhance transparency, accountability, and democratic leadership across all ACs, ensuring a safer and more effective working environment for all stakeholders.

The Pelagic Advisory Council (PelAC) prepared a statement for the meeting between ICES and Requesters of ICES advice (MIRIA) 2026. In the statement the PelAC welcomes ICES’s 2025 scientific advancements but raises concerns over transparency and process in the 2026 mackerel catch advice, where conflicting recruitment assumptions between expert groups led to a significant reduction in recommended catches. PelAC outlines 2026 priorities, including developing Long-Term Management Strategies for key stocks, addressing herring mixing issues, and advocating for greater stakeholder inclusion in the ICES-Commission Framework Partnership Agreement. The PelAC also calls for proactive implementation of research plans, especially for horse mackerel, and urges the application of ecosystem-based approaches in fisheries management.

The joint Advisory Councils (ACs) expressed concern to the European Commission about the lack of meaningful stakeholder consultation during the development of the revised “Control Regulation” (EU 2023/2842). They highlighted that the summer recess and short consultation periods limited their ability to provide input on key Delegated and Implementing Acts. The ACs noted that their feedback, including a joint advice submitted in May 2025, was not reflected in the final regulations. They called for improved consultation processes, emphasizing the need for regional workshops and a bottom-up approach to ensure practical and effective implementation. The letter underscores the importance of stakeholder engagement for workable and proportionate fisheries control measures.

The PelAC, NSAC, NWWAC and SWWAC invite the relevant Member States Group (Scheveningen Group, North Western Waters Member State Group, South Western Waters Member State Group) to a joint workshop to discuss the implementation of the revised EU Control Regulation, which entered into force in January 2024. The workshop aims to bridge the gap between control experts and Advisory Councils, fostering input on the regulation’s practical application.