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The EU and the UK reached an agreement on the fishing opportunities for 2022
Yesterday, the EU and the UK reached an agreement on the fishing opportunities for 2022. This agreement covers all shared and jointly managed fisheries resources in UK and EU waters.
It is the outcome of the annual consultations on fishing opportunities between the EU and the UK under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which took place between 11 November and 20 December.
The agreement on the management of shared stocks secures the fishing rights of the EU and the UK fleets in both EU and UK waters until the end of 2022, as foreseen under the TCA. It establishes the total allowable catches (TAC) for 65 shared fish stocks for 2022.
The agreement is based on the best available scientific advice regarding the state of fish stocks, as provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). It takes into account important sustainability and management principles, such as maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and the precautionary approach, which are central to the EU’s common fisheries policy and to the fisheries provisions of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Overall, the agreement creates certainty for fishing communities in both the EU and the UK, cements the sustainable use of marine living resources and establishes a strong basis for continued EU-UK cooperation in the area of fisheries
The Fisheries Agreemnent can be read in full by clicking here.
Council approves EU-UK fishing deal
The Council has approved an agreement between the EU and the UK on fishing opportunities for 2022, paving the way for EU fishermen and women to exercise their fishing rights in the Atlantic and the North Sea.
The decision determines fishing rights for around 100 shared fish stocks in EU and UK waters, including the total allowable catch (TAC) limit for each species.
At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 12-13 December, ministers set provisional TACs for fish stocks shared with the UK pending the outcome of the EU-UK consultations; these catch limits will be amended to take account of the new agreement.
“The successful conclusion of this year’s consultations on shared fish stocks sets a good precedent for future negotiations with the UK. Thanks to good will and a constructive approach on both sides, we were able to reach an agreement that provides certainty for EU fishermen and women going forward.”
Jože Podgoršek, Slovenian Minister for Agriculture
The regulation on fishing opportunities for 2022 – including the amendment containing the final quotas – will be finalised by the Council’s legal and linguistic experts, following which it will be formally adopted by the Council and published in the Official Journal. The provisions will apply retroactively as of 1 January 2022.
Source: Press Release
