NWWAC urges EU to lift seabass moratorium in 2026 after stock recovery, while recreational groups call for a precautionary approach
The North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC) has urged the European Commission to lift the long-standing moratorium on Northern seabass fishing in 2026, citing strong scientific evidence of stock recovery and a substantial increase in spawning biomass.
The recommendation follows the findings of a 2023–2024 ICES benchmark assessment, which confirmed that the seabass population in the North-East Atlantic has recovered significantly. The NWWAC Focus Group on Seabass, which met on 5 September 2025, finalised its advice on 4 November.
It argues that the fishery has reached a stage where the restrictive measures imposed since 2015 can now be eased, provided that management remains sustainable and coordinated between the EU and the UK.
Scientific Benchmark Shows Strong Recovery
According to ICES data, all biological reference thresholds for Northern seabass have been revised upwards, with the spawning stock biomass (SSB) now well above precautionary limits. The SSB for 2025 is estimated at over 25,000 tonnes — nearly double the level recorded two years earlier.
Catch advice for 2026 under the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approach has similarly increased, with total allowable catches for the Northern area projected to rise by almost 100 percent compared with 2025. Discards and recreational catches have also grown sharply, reflecting greater stock abundance.
The NWWAC noted that since the introduction of strict management measures in 2015 — including February–March landing bans and limits on targeted fishing — seabass mortality has fallen steeply, allowing stocks to recover beyond the precautionary threshold.
Lifting Of Moratorium And Multi-Annual Strategy
The Advisory Council recommends that the Commission end the moratorium on seabass fishing from the start of 2026, replacing it with a more flexible system of regulated fishing by gear type. It also calls for the development of a multi-annual stock management plan in collaboration with the United Kingdom to provide long-term stability and predictability for the sector.
Among the proposed changes are increased individual annual catch limits for trawl and bottom-seine vessels, the lifting of capacity quotas for hook-and-line fisheries, and reopening limited bycatch fishing for non-quota gears under strict conditions. The NWWAC also suggests allowing the landing of unavoidable bycatch during the February–March closure under defined percentage limits per trip, while maintaining the exemption from the landing obligation.
The Council cautioned, however, against the use of the “seabass allocation tool,” citing ongoing concerns about unrealistic assumptions, missing data on seasonality, and poor coverage of recreational fishing.
The NWWAC also highlighted difficulties faced by Irish vessels, which remain banned under national law from landing seabass despite unavoidable bycatches rising as stocks recover.
Diverging Views From Recreational Stakeholders
While the NWWAC’s position was approved by its Executive Committee, the European Anglers Alliance (EAA) and the International Forum for Sustainable Underwater Activities (IFSUA) formally dissented. In a minority opinion, they urged a more precautionary approach for 2026, arguing that the spawning biomass estimates carry high uncertainty — with potential margins of error approaching 10,000 tonnes — and that ICES’ advice to double catches risks depleting mature stock by nearly 9 percent.
The EAA and IFSUA called for maintaining closed seasons for both commercial and recreational fishing, tighter bycatch limits, and further refinement of recreational catch data in the Netherlands and France. However, they supported increasing recreational bag limits, noting that these have remained static for five years despite annual increases in commercial allowances.
Need For Harmonised EU–UK Management
The NWWAC reiterated its long-standing demand for harmonised seabass management between the EU and the UK to avoid inconsistencies that create operational problems for fishermen. It welcomed ongoing discussions within the Specialised Committee on Fisheries and the Inter-AC Forum on Brexit but warned that progress has been slow, particularly regarding catch reporting for inshore gillnetters.
The Council has urged the European Commission to ensure this issue is addressed in coordination with UK authorities, stressing that coherent cross-border rules are essential to maintaining both sustainability and fairness across the fleet.
