Written statement on Conclusion of annual negotiations for 2026 fishing opportunities - Dec 10

Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs (Dame Angela Eagle): The UK has reached agreement with the EU, Norway and other coastal States on catch opportunities for shared stocks for 2026. Across negotiations so far, the UK has secured agreement on over 80 Total Allowable Catches (TACs), providing access to over 520,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities for 2026, worth an estimated £830 million based on historic landing prices.

Additionally, the UK participated in multilateral consultations, reaching agreement on sustainable fishing opportunities and marine conservation management measures through the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC), the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), and updating the UN General Assembly Resolution on Sustainable Fisheries.

We have set annual catch limits that are informed by the best available scientific advice, predominantly that provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The scientific advice for 2026 creates a challenging sustainability picture, with many stocks receiving declining advice (compared with 2025) or advice for zero catches, particularly in demersal mixed fisheries. We have therefore agreed new technical, remedial and management measures through these negotiations to reduce fishing pressure and support long-term sustainability.

In these negotiations the UK Government worked closely with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to secure outcomes that deliver on our domestic and international obligations to improve the sustainable management of our fish stocks for the long-term in support of the whole of the UK fishing industry.

UK-EU bilateral negotiations

The UK has secured fishing opportunities of 150,000 tonnes, worth around £430 million based on historic landing prices, through agreement on over 70 TACs as well as agreement on arrangements for non-quota stocks (NQS). Compared to the same stocks in 2025, this is similar in volume and £20 million higher in value. The small increase is primarily due to higher catch limits for North Sea Nephrops and sole. Most catch limits are the same as in 2025 or have declined, largely driven by the scientific advice.

We have set TAC positions above ICES headline advice for 18 stocks as part of our final negotiated position this year. This includes bycatch only TACs for severely depleted stocks in mixed fisheries. The Government will publish early in 2026 a full assessment of the number of TACs set consistent with ICES advice across all annual negotiations.

In recognition of the depleted status of stocks this year, we have reduced the tonnage for some bycatch TACs and agreed new technical measures to reduce bycatch of vulnerable cod, haddock, whiting, place and sole stocks in the Celtic Sea, Irish Sea and Channel.

The UK and EU have agreed to balance increases for the pollack and seabass fisheries with a cautious approach that aims to support long-term sustainability. For example, we have agreed to introduce a new mandatory bag limit for the pollack recreational fishery. This complements the voluntary measures already in place and aims to further reduce mortality of this stock.

The UK and EU also made commitments to work together through the Specialised Committee on Fisheries (SCF) in 2026 to address management challenges and promote long-term sustainability of shared stocks. This includes continuing to review management approaches for skates and rays, monitoring behaviour change in the seabass fishery, and exploring options for a minimum conservation reference size for spurdog. The UK and EU also agreed to continue to work together through the SCF to support ICES in improving the science base for a number of stocks, including Rockall cod (to improve the quality of the biomass assessment in area 6b), mixing of horse mackerel stocks in area 7e, and sole 7hjk.

For non-quota stocks (NQS), the UK and the EU agreed a roll-over of access arrangements for 2026 to ensure continued access to fish NQS in EU waters, worth around £25 million in 2024.

The parties also agreed a roll-over of access arrangements for spurdog in the North Sea and albacore tuna.

UK-EU-Norway trilateral negotiations

The UK has also reached agreement with Norway and the EU on catch limits for 2026 for six jointly managed North Sea stocks, giving the UK fishing fleet access to opportunities worth over £380 million, based on historic landing prices.

TACs for haddock, saithe, whiting and plaice have been set in line with, or below, the headline advice from ICES.

For Northern Shelf cod, the parties agreed that a multi-year approach was required to reduce fishing pressure, increase biomass and recover the sub-stocks to MSY levels as soon as possible. For 2026 the UK, along with the EU and Norway, agreed to introduce additional seasonal closures and update real time closure regimes, as well as introduce new restrictions on targeting of cod in the southern North Sea. This enables a 2026 TAC which is projected by ICES to lead to biomass increases and which secures fishing opportunities that recognise the social and economic importance of cod in the mixed fishery. In the longer-term, the UK has committed to further work through the trilateral forum, much of which is to be led by the Northern Shelf Cod Management Working Group which the UK currently chairs.

For North Sea herring, after many years of discussions on changing the management model for the stock, the UK, EU and Norway have agreed a new approach which includes the implementation of a long-term management strategy (LTMS). This issue has been a UK priority for many years, and this new management regime, in place from January 2026, is expected to deliver sustainability improvements for the stock.

The parties renewed their commitment to deliver LTMSs for their other shared stocks. The parties also agreed to discussions in 2026 on moving the management of Northern Shelf anglerfish (monkfish) and the Northern hake stock to a joint basis, and they further committed to continue to progress their joint work on the monitoring, control and surveillance of their shared stocks.

Coastal States negotiations

The UK has reached agreement with other coastal States on fishing opportunities for blue whiting and Norwegian spring-spawning (Atlanto-Scandian) herring in the North-East Atlantic in 2026. These opportunities are worth an estimated £20 million to the UK fleet, based on 2024 landing prices. TACs for these two stocks have been agreed in line with ICES advice.

Discussions on the 2026 TAC for mackerel, and associated management measures, are ongoing among coastal States.

North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)

The UK worked with other parties to secure new monitoring, control and surveillance measures. This included taking steps to bring the NEAFC scheme into alignment with guidelines published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on at-sea transhipment.

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)

The UK secured an increase from 63 tonnes to 230.65 tonnes of bluefin tuna per year for 2026 to 2028. The quota will enable the further development of commercial and recreational bluefin tuna fisheries in the UK and Crown Dependencies from 2026 to 2028. Defra will share plans regarding these fisheries with interested parties soon.

The UK also secured a range of objectives to promote more sustainable fishing of Atlantic tunas, support economic growth and protect the environment. We secured adoption of a UK proposal to prohibit retention of white shark and basking shark, affording greater protection to these iconic species. ICCAT also adopted strengthened port state measures, based on a UK proposal, to help in the fight against illegal fishing. While a UK proposal to help reduce bycatch of endangered seabirds was not adopted, we will continue to fight for this at ICCAT in 2026/27.

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)

The UK agreed a TAC for NAFO 3M cod in line with scientific advice. This provides the UK with a quota of 1431.6 tonnes for 2026, a 22% increase over last year. The Canadian-set TAC for NAFO 3L cod also increased for 2025/26, providing the UK with a quota of 40.4 tonnes. Together this provides the UK with around £5 million of fishing opportunities, based on historic landing prices.

UN General Assembly Resolution on Sustainable Fisheries

The UK contributed to updating and strengthening the content of the UN General Assembly Resolution on Sustainable Fisheries. Seven of the UK's proposals were progressed this year, consistent with our overarching aim of improving global fisheries governance and sustainability. These included securing references to the latest findings from the Food and Agriculture Organization regarding the status of global fish stocks, and new text to help reduce or eliminate seabird bycatch, and improve the management of fisheries catching sharks.

UK-Norway and UK-Faroe Islands bilateral negotiations

Bilateral negotiations between the UK and Norway and the UK and the Faroe Islands for 2026 are ongoing. Our aim is to conclude those before the end of the year. These negotiations are to agree access, exchanges of fishing quota, and broader fisheries management measures between the parties.