Updated

Two studies from environmental groups show European Union nations continue to overfish their Atlantic waters despite commitments to fish sustainably and stay within safe scientific limits.

The studies obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press ahead of their release show that almost two out of three limits for catches in the waters off north-western Europe were still set above the limits advised by scientific research.

The Pew Charitable Trusts said that in many cases the EU's Atlantic nations "set fishing limits contrary to the recent" reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, continuing overfishing for such dinnertime favorites like North Sea cod and hake.

The New Economics Foundation found that cod was fished beyond scientific advice by 38 percent, blue whiting by 51 percent and pollack even by 231 percent.