As this year’s December Council came to its late-night finish early this morning, EU ministers have reached an agreement on fishing opportunities for 2018 in the Atlantic, North Sea and Black Sea following negotiations at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 11 - 12 December. The negotiations were based on the Commission's proposal for Total Allowable Catches.

Europêche has welcomed the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on the European Commission’s proposal establishing a multi-annual plan for demersal stocks in the North Sea, the second of its kind. Europêche’s position is that this will bring decision-making closer to Member States and fishermen through the adoption of joint recommendations – but many questions such as the implementation of landing obligation and negotiations with third countries still remain open and unclear.

In advance of next week’s December Fisheries Council, the European Association of fish Producers Organisations (EAPO) has sent a position paper with general observations and relevant recommendations for about 25 stocks to the Council Members.

An outline of possible post-Brexit management for North Sea fisheries was outlined at the recent Norway-EU negotiations in Bergen, with the Norwegian delegation presenting a picture of how things will work with the UK as an independent coastal state.