Safe fish stocks

Commercial fish species are important components in marine ecosystems. Several species have large populations in the North Sea (e.g. herring and mackerel) and they should have major roles in the structuring and functioning of the North Sea ecosystem.

North Sea fisheries have a major impact on the North Sea ecosystem, both directly on the targeted fish stocks and indirectly through affecting the food web. The objective is to achieve safe levels of 26 defined commercial fish stocks. OSPAR will report the number of fish stocks out of those 26, for which this objective is met. For those stocks that fail to meet the objective, OSPAR will urge the competent fisheries management authorities to take appropriate measures.
The aim is to maintain safe levels of fish species by management of fisheries based on the precautionary principle.