Commissioner Vella highlighted the EU's science-based approach when it comes to managing fisheries and boosting blue growth:

"Our insistence on science has served us well. Just consider the North Sea. From flagrant overfishing a few years ago, fishing in line with maximum sustainable yield is becoming the rule. Stocks like cod and plaice, which were under extreme pressure in the early 2000s, are now on their way back or really booming – and our fishermen are reaping the rewards,"

Under the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, the Commission bases its decisions on best available scientific advice. This includes proposing catch limits in line with maximum sustainable yield and following the precautionary principle whenever there is insufficient data available to take an informed decision.

In taking an integrated eco-system approach, the Commission also looks at how its proposals might affect the broader marine eco-system, with a view to limiting any negative impacts.

The Commissioner also suggested the creation of a joint ocean science agenda for the North Atlantic, and the development a common understanding of how to use science to take decisions.

"We need marine science to be able to tackle the big societal challenges of the future like climate change. But we cannot delegate to scientists our task of drawing the policy conclusions from their findings," he warned.

The annual NAFMC conference allows ministers of the North Atlantic to meet in an informal setting and to exchange views on fisheries issues of topical and current interest. Participants include fisheries ministers, or their representatives, of the major fishing parties in the North Atlantic, namely the EU, Canada, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and the Russian Federation.