Fishing boat returning with catch near Whitstable, Kent, UK.
Photo: Adobe Stock.
The UK and the EU have reached an agreement on fishing opportunities following bilateral talks, with the UK set to benefit from 150,000 tonnes in 2025, according to the UK's Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The agreed total, which marks an increase of 15,000 tonnes compared with 2024, is worth up to £360 million for the industry, Defra announced.
The deal follows an earlier trilateral agreement struck with the EU and Norway, which secured 290,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities for the UK fleet in the North Sea and surrounding waters, in addition to 280,000 tonnes, pertaining to catch limits agreed with northeast Atlantic coastal states earlier in the year on "widely distributed stocks".
Taken together, Defra says these agreements "brings fishing opportunities secured for the UK fleet in 2025 in the main negotiating forums to 720,000 tonnes, worth up to £890 million based on historic landing prices".
Key outcomes from these negotiations include an increased anglerfish quota, continued "plaice 7de" swap with the EU, essential for maintaining target fisheries with plaice bycatch, scientifically-advised increases in seabass catch limits, and continuation of the Irish Sea herring fishery.
"Through these sets of negotiations this Government has agreed deals securing quota for stocks totalling up to £890 million for the UK fleet in 2025," said UK Fisheries Minister Daniel Zeichner.
"This is another example of how we are delivering on our Plan for Change, boosting our British fishing industry by supporting the lifeblood of many coastal communities," Zeichner added.
Defra emphasised that the UK’s approach to fisheries negotiations prioritised sustainability, using advice from scientists at the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) as the foundation for decision-making, with catch limits set at or within the advised levels. "Economic and social considerations are appropriately balanced alongside this scientific advice," Defra stated.
