The widening gap between fisheries biology and fisheries management in the European Union

The extension of economic zones and the introduction of a common fisheries policy in the European Union have not had the results expected in fish stock management. Fisheries managers seem to be increasingly sceptical about the prospects of exploiting fish stocks at anywhere near the maximum sustainable yield level. At the same time, biologists no longer provide specific recommendations aimed at achieving the former objective of rational exploitation. This paper describes some of the causes of the declining commitment of fisheries biologists to rational exploitation, and to fish stock assessment in general. It also puts forward suggestions to improve the prospects of effective cooperation between biologists and managers through a restructuring of existing advisory and decision-making bodies.