Danish sandeel fishery begins 2025 season without UK access. Legal ruling pending on post-Brexit fishing rights and conservation ban.
Access to British grounds still blocked after UK and Scottish governments ban sandeel fishing in conservation move
The Danish sandeel fishing season has officially begun, but without access to UK waters, marking the second consecutive year that the fishery operates under territorial restrictions. The loss of British fishing grounds, a consequence of the UK and Scottish governments’ 2023 ban on industrial sandeel fishing, continues to apply pressure on Denmark’s remaining quota areas in the North Sea.
Despite the reduced fishing grounds, Danish industry representatives remain confident that the allocated 2025 quotas can still be met. This year’s national quota totals over 110,000 tonnes across key areas, with the majority concentrated in zones 1r (70,807 tonnes) and 2r (39,159 tonnes). The other quota zones — 3r, 4r, and 6r — remain negligible or closed.
The ongoing exclusion from UK waters follows a high-profile legal dispute between Denmark and the UK, after the ban was announced on conservation grounds. The UK government, backed by Scottish ministers, cited the critical role of sandeels in the marine food web — particularly for seabirds like puffins and kittiwakes — in justifying its decision to ban both domestic and foreign vessels from targeting sandeels in British waters.
Image: Marine Ingredients Denmark
Legal ruling on access rights still pending
A ruling in the arbitration case between Denmark and the UK is still pending. The outcome is expected to have major implications not only for future Danish sandeel seasons, but for broader access rights and fisheries management arrangements post-Brexit.
Danish officials argue the ban breaches the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement by unilaterally restricting access to a traditional fishing ground without sufficient scientific justification or stakeholder consultation. The UK maintains that the decision is both legal and necessary to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems.
Economic pressure and seasonal dynamics
The Danish industry faces increased pressure to optimise catches in a more limited area. Data from recent years illustrate the fluctuating nature of the fishery: catches totalled 169,783 tonnes in 2020, plummeting to 69,603 in 2021, and showing continued variation in the years since — with 69,128 tonnes landed in 2024.
Weekly landings will now be monitored and reported by the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries (MID), providing insight into the fishery’s progress over the season. Analysts note that catch value tends to increase later in the season, when fish have higher oil content — a key factor for processing profitability and market prices.
With UK waters still off limits, Danish vessels will be forced to fish harder in smaller zones. The verdict from the arbitration process may yet reshape what access looks like in 2026 and beyond — but for now, the Danish fleet begins its season once again locked out of one of the North Sea’s most valuable fishing grounds.
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