Tell the Fisheries Minister: Follow the science and end overfishing

The fish around Britain are disappearing.

A recent report by Blue Marine Foundation found that many of the UK's key fish populations are in steep decline as a result of decades of overfishing.

For years, ministers have set catch limits above what scientists advised, allowing more fish to be caught than experts consider sustainable. This political choice has pushed many fish populations closer to collapse, damaging marine ecosystems, threatening coastal livelihoods and weakening the UK's food security. 

Some of the declines are staggering. Between 2016 and 2025, Celtic Sea cod, haddock, whiting, herring and pollack declined by 98%, 79%, 73%, 45% and 31% respectively. Meanwhile, scientists now advise zero catches for three of the UK's four cod stocks. 

These are not distant, abstract losses. 

They affect the health of our seas, the livelihoods of fishing communities and the seafood on our plates. They are one reason why the cod in your local fish and chip shop is now likely to have been caught thousands of miles from British waters. 

The good news is that this decline can be reversed. Fish populations can recover — often remarkably quickly — when given the chance. But that will only happen if the Fisheries Minister follows the science and ends overfishing by setting catch limits at sustainable levels. 

Write to your MP today and ask them to tell the Fisheries Minister: end overfishing by following the science on catch limits. 

We have to act while stocks last.

Why your voice matters

More than seven in ten people in the UK support making it illegal for politicians to set fishing quotas above scientific recommendations. By emailing your MP you are standing up for a better future for fisheries, coastal communities and our ocean.

What happens next?

Your email will be sent directly to the UK Government's Fisheries Minister, as well as your local MP.

Every Autumn, the UK Government meets to set the catch limits for the following year. By sending this email you are letting your MP know that you care about tackling overfishing. 

Let’s make sure we protect fish today to ensure there is fish to catch tomorrow. We can only fish #WhileStocksLast.