Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The European Union Council, which represents member states, has approved an agreement reached with the United Kingdom that guarantees fishing rights for EU fishermen in the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. The timely conclusion of the 2024 annual consultations will ensure stability and certainty for EU fishermen and the industry.
“Our agreement with the UK secures important fishing opportunities for our fishermen and has been reached thanks to the good faith shown by both parties during the negotiations. We have ensured that our fishing rights in the Atlantic Ocean and North Sea will continue to be protected next year as we meet our sustainability commitments,” she said. A European statement in Brussels quoted Luis Planas Buchades, the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who holds the current rotating presidency of the Union.
The agreement in detail
The agreement reached in annual consultations between the EU and the UK sets out the 2024 fishing rights for about 100 common fish stocks, in particular total allowable catches (TACs), i.e. maximum quantities of fish from specific stocks that can be caught, each with fishing rights. For each party.
This agreement is part of the annual process of identifying fishing opportunities in EU and non-EU waters for the coming year and is approved through a written procedure.
At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on Monday 11 December, joint stock figures with the UK will become part of the main regulation on fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and North Sea.
This regulation also covers stocks managed by the EU alone or through agreements reached in regional fisheries management organizations, as well as stocks shared with the UK and other third parties.
The EU and UK based their agreement on the best available scientific advice, provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). The agreement reached by the parties is also in line with the objectives of the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement concluded with the United Kingdom.
For stocks that did not receive advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, the EU and UK agreed to work together to improve the availability of data to guide future scientific advice. Regarding no-fishing stocks, delegations agreed that it would be appropriate to set specific target targets for bycatch (species caught unintentionally, while fishing for other specific species). The level of these allowable equivalents has been determined to ensure that fish mortality does not increase and the stock can be rebuilt. For some stocks, a small TAC is set to allow continuous monitoring of the stock.
In line with scientific advice, here are some of the stocks for which the EU and UK have agreed to lower their permissible targets for 2024, compared to 2023:
Haddock in the Irish Sea (-14.5%) Haddock in the Celtic Sea (-30.6%)
Whiting in the Celtic Sea (-50%)
Bycatch of plaice in the English Channel (-42%)
Here are some examples of stocks for which the EU and UK have agreed to increase their permissible targets for 2024, compared to 2023:
Albedo in western Scotland (+20%)
Migrimes in the North Sea (+9.6%)
It is noteworthy that after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, fish stocks jointly managed by the European Union and the United Kingdom became shared resources under international law. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the two parties sets out the terms under which the EU and the UK determine their fishing rights in the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea.
Under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the two parties agree to hold annual consultations with the aim of determining the total technical equivalents and quotas for the following year. The Commission is leading the consultations and takes into account a number of factors, including:

International obligations
Ensure the long-term sustainability of fishing, in line with the European Union Common Fisheries Policy
The best scientific advice available; When this is not available, a precautionary approach is taken
The need to protect the livelihoods of fishermen
The agreement includes a licensing system for fishing vessels through which mutual access to the other party's waters is granted.
The Council receives regular updates on the progress of the negotiations and its role is to:
Providing guidance to the Commission on the EU position
Approval of the final agreement on total technical assistance and annual quotas before the formal conclusion of consultations with the United Kingdom
Next steps
During the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on 10-11 December, ministers will aim to reach political agreement on overall fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and North Sea for 2024, and in some cases also for 2025 and 2026.
Joint stockpile figures between the EU and the UK will become part of this political agreement.
The text of the political agreement will then be finalized by the Council's legal and linguistic experts. The regulations will then be officially approved by the Council and published in the Official Gazette. The provisions will apply from January 1, 2024.