Regulations governing British fishing are supposed to keep it “environmentally sustainable in the long term.” But fish stocks in the United Kingdom are on the brink of collapse.

For those watching the industry closely, this is not a surprise: For decades, U.K. and European Union governments have regularly ignored fishing quota research recommendations. Almost 60 percent of all U.K. fish quotas set last year flouted scientific advice. Rather than sustainable management, governments are effectively overseeing their fishing industries’ slow-motion decline.

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Assessments by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)—whose data is used by the U.K. government to determine annual catch limits—are calling for a new zero-catch limit for well-loved species like Irish Sea plaice, while maintaining zero-catch warnings for already severely depleted stocks like Celtic Sea cod, whiting and haddock.

“If you replace the word cod with the word tiger, people would be outraged at the declines,” said Jonny Hughes, senior policy manager at Blue Marine Foundation, a British ocean conservation charity.

While ICES has recommended a zero-catch limit for Celtic Sea cod since at least 2020, the government established a bycatch quota of over 640 tons this year despite scientists projecting a total population of less than 590 tons.