The EU concluded agreements with the UK and Norway, and bilaterally with Norway, securing fishing opportunities for 2024 for the EU fleet
The EU reaches agreements with Norway and the UK and bilaterally with Norway on fishing opportunities and access to waters for 2024
The European Union has announced that agreements have been successfully concluded with the United Kingdom and Norway, securing crucial fishing opportunities for 2024.
These agreements, both trilaterally and bilaterally, aim to provide stability, access to valuable fishing waters, and predictability for stocks in the Northeast Atlantic and the North Sea.
Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, highlighted the importance of these agreements in securing access to waters and vital opportunities for EU fishers starting from January 2024. Speaking after the announcement, the Commissioner said:
“The timely signature of these agreements will secure access to waters and important opportunities for EU fishers as from January 2024. While challenges remain, the successful and coordinated completion of this very complex process demonstrates how cooperation between the EU, the UK and Norway can benefit fishing communities and ensure the sustainable management of our shared stocks.”
EU-UK-Norway Trilateral Agreement
The trilateral arrangement between the EU, Norway, and the UK focuses on jointly managed fisheries stocks in the North Sea for 2024. The agreement establishes Total Allowable Catches (TAC) exceeding 915,000 tonnes, covering quotas for cod, haddock, saithe, whiting, plaice, and herring. Notable elements of the agreement include:
– An increase in cod TAC, set below Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) advice, considering precautionary measures for the southern sub-stock.
– TACs aligned with MSY advice for saithe and plaice, and below MSY advice for haddock and whiting to account for their interaction with cod.
– Continued review of the management model for herring in 2024, with TACs set in line with MSY.
– Maintenance of measures to protect North Sea cod through the retention of existing area closures.
EU-Norway Bilateral Agreements
Parallel to the trilateral agreement, the EU and Norway concluded bilateral consultations addressing shared stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak, as well as quota exchanges. Key aspects of these agreements include:
– Three bilateral arrangements covering quota exchanges, mutual access to fishing in each other’s waters, and quota setting in the Skagerrak and the Kattegat.
– An ambitious balance of exchanges of fishing opportunities with major economic significance.
– Quota exchanges, such as the EU receiving 9,983 tonnes of Arctic cod for 2024 and transferring 48,000 tonnes of blue whiting to Norway.
– Access for the EU to catch up to 15,107 tonnes of Atlanto-Scandian herring in Norwegian waters, and Norway obtaining access to Union waters for fishing 150,000 tonnes of blue whiting.
– Implementation of measures to reduce fishing mortality for Western Baltic herring, including catch restrictions in the Skagerrak.
– Signing of the neighbouring arrangement covering the Swedish fishery in Norwegian waters of the North Sea.
Next Steps
The catch limits agreed upon trilaterally and bilaterally will be submitted for incorporation into the Fishing Opportunities Regulation for 2024 during the upcoming Council of EU fisheries Ministers on December 10 and 11. Additionally, in-year consultations during 2024 for Pandalus, where ICES scientific advice does not align with the calendar year, will be held between the EU and Norway.
More Information
- Agreed record of fisheries consultations between the European Union and Norway for 2024 (317.38 KB – PDF) Download
- Agreed Record of Fisheries Consultations between the European Union, Norway and the United Kingdom for 2024 (278.23 KB – PDF) Download
- Agreed record of conclusions of fisheries consultations between Norway and the European Union on the regulation of fisheries in Skagerrak and Kattegat for 2024 (327.77 KB – PDF) Download
- Protocol of fisheries consultations between Norway and the European Union, on behalf of Sweden, for 2024 (157.3 KB – PDF) Download
