Debate on the impact of quota negotiations on the UK fishing fleet in 2025
A Westminster Hall debate has been scheduled for 9.30am on 26 March on the impact of quota negotiations on the UK fishing fleet in 2025. The debate will be opened by Andrew George MP.
Agreement between the UK and its neighbours on total allowable catches for shared fishing stock (referred to as TACs) is reached in annual negotiations between the UK, the EU and other neighbouring states. This happens through a range of bilateral and multilateral meetings. The agreements on TACs are based on a number of factors including advice on the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for each stock from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
UK-EU provisionsThe UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement TCA (PDF) extends to fisheries and provides mutual access for UK and EU fishing vessels in each other’s waters until June 2026. The agreement also sets out provisions for negotiations on access and share of stocks after that date. These can take the form of annual or multiannual agreements on fishing.
Currently, under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement 25% of the overall pre-Brexit EU fishing quota in UK waters will be transferred to the UK over a five-and-a-half-year transition period to 30 June 2026. Under the agreement percentage changes were agreed for the share of TACs transferred for each fish stock in each fishing area. Mutual access for vessels to each other’s waters is managed through a licencing system for individual fishing vessels. Any changes beyond this 25% transfer will have to be agreed through negotiation between the UK and the EU post 2026.
Government position on 2025 negotiationsIn a PQ response in October 2024 the UK Government summarised what informs its negotiating position, including advice from ICES:
UK positions in those negotiations are informed by the best available scientific advice, including advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) on achieving the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for many stocks. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) conducts annually a robust assessment of the sustainability outcomes of our negotiations, including the number of TACs which have been set in line with the scientific advice.
In those negotiations, the UK seeks to balance the fisheries objectives set out in the Fisheries Act 2020 and the Joint Fisheries Statement. We strive for outcomes that achieve greater environmental sustainability, including aiming to increase over the medium term the total number of stocks fished at MSY.
Agreements reachedNorth-East Atlantic coastal states reached agreement on mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring TACs for 2025 in October 2024, but deferred agreement of the share of each TAC until 2025. Agreeing on mackerel quota ha been difficult in previous years, with Norway and the Faroe Islands setting quota unilaterally after failure to agree. This year agreement has been reached on TACs after concerns about stock levels falling.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced that the UK had reached an agreement on North Sea fishing opportunities for 2025 (4 December 2024). A trilateral agreement between UK, EU and Norway was reached in 2025 and agreed catch limits for six fish stocks (cod, haddock, herring, plaice, saithe and whiting) in the North Sea and surrounding waters.
On UK-EU negotiations, the UK secured 150,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities in negotiations with the EU for 2025 (11 December 2024). According to Defra the agreement set catch limits of around 70 total allowable catches (TACs), monitoring arrangement for non-quota stocks as well as other arrangements on seabass and albacore. The agreement also committed the UK and EU to work together to provide more sustainable fisheries management.
There was also written statement from Daniel Zeichner, Minster for Food Security and Rural Affairs, setting out the conclusion of annual negotiations for 2025 fishing opportunities on 11 December 2024.
Further details on all three can be found in Economic outcomes of annual negotiations for UK fishing opportunities in 2025, published by Defra on 19 March 2025. At the same time, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) published its report Assessing the sustainability of fisheries catch limits negotiated by the UK for 2025.
An article in Fishing News concluded there were winners and losers, but no real surprises on 2025 UK fishing TACs in the agreement with reached with the EU. Further commentary on all the agreements can be found on the Fishing News website and the National Fishermen’s Federation Organisation’s (NFFO) websit
Access to EU fishing waters post 2026The Presidency of the Council of Europe published a report on The identification EU interests for strengthening EU-UK relations, on 3 December 2024. This emphasised that maintaining current access to fishing waters, beyond the end of the transition period set by the TCA of 30 June 2026, was essential for member states. It said that a reset between the EU and UK was “only credible if it is based on an early understanding on this” and that this was “needed for the facilitation of discussions on the other aspects under consideration”. [1]
Further reading- Commons Library briefing on resetting the UK’s relationship with the European Union (5 March 2024)
- Commons Library insight on the UK-EU dispute over sandeels (28 January 2025)
- Commons Library debate pack on the fishing industry (27 November 2024) and debate transcript (28 November 2024)
- Westminster Hall debate on the future of fishing after 2026 (5 November 2024)
- Commons Library Briefing UK-EU Relations: Fisheries (27 November 2023).
Asked by: Gardiner, Barry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the distribution of quota between (a) foreign and (b) domestic-owned trawlers under ten metres in the UK inshore fleet.
Answering member: Daniel Zeichner | Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Secretary of State determination of fishing opportunities for British fishing boats sets UK fishing quotas. This quota is only allocated to British-registered and licensed vessels. These vessels must comply with the economic link licence condition. This requires a certain amount of fish to be landed into the UK or requires the employment of UK crew or other measures which ensure that the UK benefits economically from the quota.
In recent years, quota available to the under 10 metre fleet in England has significantly increased but remains underutilised. To boost catches by the non-sector, quota licence caps have temporarily been removed, and trials exploring different quota allocation methods have been introduced.
HC Deb 10 December 2024 | PQ 17504
Asked by: Lowe, Rupert
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) limiting and (b) banning commercial trading of fishing licence quotas.
Answering member: Daniel Zeichner | Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is not planning any assessment on commercial trading of fishing licence quotas. Quota trading helps our fishing industry by allowing quota to flow to those who most need it. This helps maximise uptake and mitigate choke risks. It also provides important flexibilities for British businesses. For example, it allows fishermen to sell quotas when adverse weather, vessel failure or other problems mean quotas would otherwise go unused.
HC Deb 12 November 2024 | PQ 13109
[1] Council of the EU, Report by the Presidency on the identification of EU interests for strengthening EU-UK relations, 16518/24