The Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) allows fisheries managers to make annual adjustments in catch levels to provide for:

• the "fishing down" of stocks to their most productive sizes (i.e. the stock size that will produce the Maximum Sustainable Yield)
• the rebuilding of stocks that have been reduced below the target MSY level, and
• the maintenance of stocks at, or above, the size that will provide the MSY to ensure long-term sustainability.

Since the QMS was introduced, numerous TACC adjustments have been made, some upwards and some downwards. Most TACCs in the main fisheries are reviewed annually during the stock assessment process, with extra consideration given to stocks that may be underperforming or where future problems are anticipated. These reviews are based on the best available science and have often involved co-operative assessments from several scientific institutes. To ensure compliance with TACCs, penalties for infringements include heavy fines or even the outright loss of ITQ rights and compliance levels are high.