- UK signs first fisheries agreement since leaving the EU and
first as an independent coastal state
- UK will negotiate annually with Norway and other coastal
States to promote sustainable fisheries & a fairer deal for
our fishing industry
- Leaving the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy means the UK can
decide who can access its waters and on what terms
The UK has today signed an historic fisheries agreement with
Norway – the UK’s first since leaving the EU and first as an
independent coastal state in 40 years.
The Fisheries Framework Agreement signed today by Environment
Secretary and Norwegian Fisheries Minister Odd Emil
Ingebrigtsen will mean that the UK and Norway hold annual
negotiations on the issues of access to waters and quotas.
It is a significant step forward as the UK prepares to leave the
EU’s Common Fisheries Policy at the end of December. Leaving the
EU means the UK is able to decide who can access its waters and
on what terms, in the best interest of its marine environment and
its seafood and fishing sectors.
The agreement demonstrates the shared will of the UK and Norway
to cooperate as independent coastal states and seek effective and
sustainable management of their fisheries. The treaty
incorporates the same principles that the UK is currently seeking
with the EU – a framework agreement which reflects the UK’s and
Norway’s rights under international law.
Environment Secretary said:
“I am delighted that a Framework Fisheries Agreement with Norway
has been successfully secured. The agreement is testament to our
commitment to acting as a cooperative independent coastal state,
seeking to ensure a sustainable and a prosperous future for the
whole of the UK fishing industry.
“I pay tribute to our Norwegian counterparts for the constructive
approach they adopted throughout these negotiations, and we look
forward to working with them closely in the coming years.”
Norwegian Fisheries
and Seafood Minister Odd Emil
Ingebrigtsen said:
“This is a great day! I am pleased that we have reached an
agreement with the United Kingdom, which will be an important
coastal state and partner from January 2021.
“This agreement facilitates a good and solid fisheries
cooperation for the future. The management of shared fish stocks
is at its best when the coastal states agree on how this should
happen.”
Each year, the UK fishing fleet lands some £32 million worth of
fish from Norwegian waters*. In previous years, bilateral
negotiations with Norway were led by the European Commission on
behalf of the UK and other Member States. This autumn, for the
first time in over 40 years, the UK will be negotiating fishing
opportunities for 2021 as an independent coastal state.
British fishing communities will benefit from the fisheries
agreements that the UK is negotiating with our coastal state
partners which ensure that the needs of our fishermen & our
fish stocks are put first. Through agreements like the one we
have signed with Norway, the UK is taking back control of its
natural resources while seeking to restore more of our fish
stocks to healthy levels.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
*The £32 million worth of fish caught in
Norwegian waters and landed in UK ports refers to 2018
data.
