ICES says cod recovery in the Celtic Sea is uncertain under current conditions, raising concerns across EU industry
A request by the North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC) for a new ICES assessment into the recoverability of Celtic Sea cod has been rebuffed by the European Commission, which insists the stock’s poor state is already reflected in scientific advice and must be addressed jointly with the UK.
In a letter dated 20 December 2024, NWWAC urged the Commission to submit a technical request to ICES to evaluate whether the recovery of the depleted Celtic Sea cod stock remains possible under current and future environmental conditions. The Council raised concerns about persistently poor recruitment, the impacts of rising sea temperatures, and pressure from offshore wind developments near spawning grounds.
“Cod spawning and nursery grounds in the Celtic Sea are under increasing threat,” said NWWAC Chair Emiel Brouckaert. “We need science to assess if recovery is even feasible in this changing ecosystem.”
But in a response signed by DG MARE Director-General Charlina Vitcheva on 26 March 2025, the Commission made clear that any such ICES request must be agreed jointly with the UK through the Specialised Committee on Fisheries. “This stock is jointly managed with the United Kingdom. Consequently, any request must be jointly agreed and co-financed,” Vitcheva wrote.
She reaffirmed that ICES advice already takes weak recruitment into account by using recent data, and stressed that overfishing continues to be the key driver of the cod’s poor status. “Fishing pressure remains extremely high and well above any sustainable levels,” she stated. “This, combined with weak recruitment, has resulted in stock biomass remaining critically below safe biological limits.”
Vitcheva acknowledged ICES is currently reviewing how it gives advice on depleted stocks like Celtic Sea cod. “This stock will likely be a candidate,” she wrote, encouraging NWWAC to engage via the MIACO and MIRIA platforms.
NWWAC had also flagged mounting pressure from offshore renewable energy projects and the failure to designate inshore Marine Protected Areas, warning these gaps pose risks to cod recovery. While Vitcheva noted these concerns, she directed them toward national authorities.