An agreement between the European Union and the UK applies to next year’s fishing opportunities for 88 TACs for jointly managed stocks.
The deal secures fishing opportunities for the EU fleet for about 428,000 tonnes, estimated to be worth an estimated €1.4 billion. Reaching this agreement is a vital step, as these negotiated stocks represent most of the EU’s stocks of interest in non-EU countries of the North-East Atlantic.
These are the fifth annual consultations on fishing opportunities between the EU and UK agreed under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). They establish total allowable catch limits (TACs) for shared stocks in 2025, and reciprocal access to waters for albacore tuna.
While the EU states that its negotiating position on the EU common fisheries policy (CFP), includes multiannual plans and these negotiations are guided by the best available scientific advice on the status of fish stocks, socio-economic considerations are also taken into account to avoid choke situations that would lead to a premature closure of certain fisheries.
Besides the key role played by Member States in supporting the conclusion of this agreement, negotiations highlighted the importance of the Specialised Committee on Fisheries (SCF), which facilitated cooperation and contributed to the positive outcome. The agreement also establishes a clear set of priorities for future SCF work, including cooperation on joint technical measures to protect vulnerable stocks across sea basins.
The agreed catch limits are to be incorporated into the Fishing Opportunities Regulation for 2025, agreed at political level during the Council of EU fisheries Ministers.
The parties will hold further consultations during 2025 for three other jointly managed stocks, for which the ICES scientific advice does not align with the calendar year. These are sandeel, sprat and Norway pout.
