The Pelagic AC provides credible, scientific, and consensus-based advice to inform pelagic fisheries policy, both upon the request of the European Commission and Member States, and on its own initiative. All advice and recommendations are developed and approved by the members of the Pelagic AC.
Our advice — and responses to it — may be accessed below.
| Name | Summary | Year | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|
| PelAC Request to ICES for Long-Term Management Strategy for Northeast Atlantic Mackerel | 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. | 2026 | Letter to Com |