EU proposes 2026 Atlantic and Skagerrak-Kattegat fishing quotas, balancing stock sustainability, mixed fishery limits and economic stability
The European Commission has published its proposed Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for 2026 covering 15 EU-managed fish stocks in the Atlantic and Skagerrak-Kattegat waters, with some extending into 2027 and 2028.
The proposals, based on advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), aim to balance economic viability with long-term stock sustainability.
Key Proposals and Scientific Guidance
According to the Commission, scientific advice based on the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) informed 11 of the 15 TACs, while four were guided by the precautionary approach. Six of the proposed TACs are multiannual, extending beyond 2026.
Among the headline adjustments are:
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Anglerfish (Iberian waters): TAC reduced by 2% (MSY basis)
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Hake (Iberian waters): Rollover (MSY)
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Horse mackerel (Iberian waters): Down 5% (MSY)
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Megrim (Iberian waters): Up 12% (MSY)
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Whiting (Bay of Biscay): Cut by 27% (MSY)
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Pollack (Bay of Biscay, Cantabrian Sea, Iberian waters): By-catch only, with 26% reductions to prevent early fishery closures
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Plaice (Bay of Biscay and Iberian waters): 20% reduction (precautionary approach)
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Sole (Iberian waters): 28% cut (precautionary approach)
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Undulate ray (Bay of Biscay and Iberian waters): Rollover
Plaice in the Kattegat, as well as Iberian hake, remain unchanged under the new proposals, reflecting relatively stable stock conditions.
Pollack By-Catch Controls and Socio-Economic Balance
The Commission said the reduced pollack by-catch TACs are designed to avoid premature closures of mixed fisheries and maintain the livelihoods of vessels dependent on these grounds. The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries (STECF) provided socio-economic assessments supporting the adjustments to prevent disproportionate hardship for fleets.
National Quota Discretion for Seabass
In the Bay of Biscay, seabass management will continue under national control. Member States will retain responsibility for setting quotas, though the overall limit will now align with the lowest MSY value to protect pollack, which is often caught as by-catch in the seabass fishery.
Continued Protection for European Eel
Due to the critical condition of European eel stocks, the Commission proposes maintaining a six-month ban on all eel fishing, including a complete prohibition on recreational eel fishing in marine and brackish waters across the northeast Atlantic.
Next Steps
Fisheries ministers will discuss the proposals at the AGRIFISH Council on 11–12 December 2025, aiming for a political agreement ahead of implementation on 1 January 2026. Some TACs, including those for pollack and plaice, will apply through 2027 and 2028.
Background
EU fishing limits are determined annually through the Council of Ministers following proposals from the European Commission. Under the Common Fisheries Policy, member states must manage fish stocks according to MSY principles and the precautionary approach to safeguard ecological and economic sustainability. Most of the affected stocks are either exclusively EU-managed or shared with the United Kingdom under post-Brexit fisheries arrangements.
