The AGRIFISH Council met today to discuss amongst other things, fishing opportunities for 2024. Photo: European Union
The results of today’s European Union Council of Ministers Agriculture and Fisheries (AGRIFISH) Council has been announced where Ministers discussed fishing opportunities for 2024.
Annual fisheries consultations for 2024
Ministers exchanged views on the management of shared fishing stocks with the United Kingdom for 2024, which are the subject to annual bilateral negotiations. Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, consultations between the EU and the UK on shared fish stocks are held annually, in line with the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. These consultations will take place between October and the beginning of December. During the Council meeting, ministers welcomed the timely delivery of the Commission’s proposal for the EU’s position in the fishing opportunities consultations, key to today’s rich and constructive debate.
“Today’s debate has been an important starting point in defining our priorities for the fisheries consultations for 2024, which are crucial for our sector. It is key to take into account the social, economic and environmental pillars in decision-making, with the aim of guaranteeing a stable, predictable and prosperous future for fishermen and women, as well as promoting the necessary generational change,” stated Luis Planas Puchades, acting Spanish Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who chaired the Council meeting today.
Ministers also exchanged views on the annual consultations with Norway, which have undergone major changes since Brexit, with six stocks being managed trilaterally by the EU, Norway and the UK. Ministers also discussed the consultations with coastal states.
During today’s meeting, ministers stressed that social, economic and environmental sustainability should be taken into account, together with the best scientific advice, as a basis for upcoming discussions. They also outlined their national priorities for the different consultations, thus providing the Commission with political guidance for the EU’s positions.
