The Blue Marine Foundation has initiated legal action against the UK government, challenging the setting of fishing quotas that exceed scientific recommendations. The foundation contends that over half of the UK’s fish stocks have been allocated catch limits higher than advised by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), undermining sustainable fisheries management. This practice, they argue, threatens marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of small-scale fishermen. Dr. Thomas Appleby, chief legal affairs adviser to Blue Marine Foundation, comments: “The setting of quota and distribution to fishing vessels in the UK and Europe has long been controversial. For decades fish stocks have been set beyond scientific advice and as a result stocks of fish have dwindled, and so have the number of people employed in the fishing industry. Our case is principally about transparency in the decision-making process.”
Fish and chips could be off the menu: UK cod stocks have crashed by 48%, study warns
UK cod stocks have crashed by 48 per cent in the last decade, a study has revealed – amid warnings that the government has ‘ignored science’ on declining fish populations.
15 September 2026
