In an overview given to a major consultative meeting on the Scientific Advice on European fish stocks, held recently in Brussels, a senior ICES scientist stated that most European fish stocks can be categorised as being broadly stable. This will come as no great surprise to fishermen who directly experience the fluctuations in abundance from one year to the next but it is a very welcome and important message from a body that has not always been immune from importing a hysterical tone into its press statements.
