The Council approved an agreement reached with the United Kingdom on fishing opportunities for 95 Total Allowable Catches (TCA) for stocks jointly managed by the EU and the UK under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The agreement guarantees EU fishermen's fishing rights in the Atlantic and North Sea for 2026, and its timely conclusion will provide stability and certainty for EU fishermen and the industry.

The EU, the official statement underlines, "remains committed to sustainable cooperation, ensuring that our shared resources continue to be managed responsibly, while safeguarding the livelihoods of our fishermen and preserving our seas for future generations."

The EU and the UK based their agreement on the best available scientific advice, provided in particular by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The agreement reached by the two parties contributes to the objectives of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, which is to ensure that fisheries are ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable. The agreement is consistent with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement concluded with the UK.

For stocks for which ICES advice is not available, the EU and the UK have agreed to continue working together to improve the availability of data to inform future scientific advice, taking note of the progress made to date.

For stocks with a zero-catch advisory, delegations generally agreed that it would be appropriate to establish specific TACs for bycatches (species caught unintentionally while fishing for other specific species) to avoid standstills that would lead to the premature closure of healthy fisheries. These TACs were set at levels designed to prevent increases in fishing mortality while allowing stocks to recover.

For stocks that are declining below certain biomass levels, the Parties agreed to combine TACs with additional technical measures to accelerate the return of those stocks to safe biological levels as quickly as possible.

Next steps

At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting today, 11 December, and on 12 December, ministers will seek political agreement on overall fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and North Sea for fish stocks managed independently by the EU. Data on stocks shared between the EU and the UK will be incorporated into this overall political agreement.
The new quotas will apply from 1 January 2026.

For three other jointly managed stocks, for which scientific advice is not aligned with the calendar year, namely sandeel (North Sea), sprat (North Sea and English Channel) and Norwegian burbot, the EU and UK will hold consultations during 2026.

Context

Following the UK's withdrawal from the EU, fish stocks jointly managed by the EU and the UK are considered shared resources under international law. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the two parties establishes the conditions under which the EU and the UK determine their respective fishing rights in the Atlantic and the North Sea. The TCA includes rules on vessel licensing and reciprocal access to each other's waters.

Under the TCA, both Parties hold annual consultations to determine overall catch limits for the following year. Each Party's quotas are then set in accordance with the TCA. The consultations are conducted by the Commission and take into account a number of factors, including:
international obligations, ensuring the long-term sustainability of marine resources, in line with the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, the best available scientific advice, and the need to protect fishermen's livelihoods.

The Council receives regular updates on the progress of the negotiations and its role is to provide guidance to the Commission on the EU's position and to approve the final agreement on catch limits and annual quotas.