UK North Atlantic albacore fishery 2026 confirms 553 tonne quota, nine licences and updated EU waters access rules.
The UK has been allocated 553 tonnes of North Atlantic albacore for the 2026 fishing season, covering the stock identified as ALB/AN05N. The quota may be taken in UK or EU waters and includes an amount set aside to cover bycatch by the UK fleet.
The 2026 figure represents a notable shift in access conditions compared with 2025. Last year, UK catches in EU waters were capped at 280 tonnes. That ceiling has now been increased, providing greater scope for activity beyond domestic waters, subject to licensing and compliance requirements.
The North Atlantic albacore stock is managed under the framework of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, with UK capacity limited to nine vessels in line with ICCAT Recommendation 21-04.
Expression of Interest Process Now Closed
The expression of interest process for the 2026 fishery was administered by the Marine Management Organisation on behalf of the UK Fisheries Administrations. The application window closed at 23:59 on 1 March 2026.
Applications were required on a per-vessel basis, except in cases where two vessels intended to operate as a pair trawl team, in which case a joint application was permitted. Incomplete submissions were automatically excluded from consideration.
Applicants were required to hold a domestic commercial fishing licence and be registered in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales or the Bailiwick of Jersey. Vessels intending to operate in EU or international waters were also required to hold, or commit to obtaining, an external waters licence covering access to EU waters and or the NEAFC Regulatory Area.
The UK Fisheries Administrations are expected to notify applicants of outcomes from 26 March 2026. Licence authorisations will be non-transferable, valid only for the 2026 season and will not establish any future track record or entitlement to quota.
Assessment Criteria and Compliance Record
With only nine licences available, applications are being assessed on what officials describe as a fair and objective basis. Consideration is being given to the environmental, social and economic impacts of the proposed fishing activity, including diversification away from pressure stocks, job creation and potential benefits to the UK market.
Prior experience in, or research into, the North Atlantic albacore fishery is also being weighed, alongside the catching capacity of the vessel to ensure the UK allocation is fully utilised.
Regulatory compliance forms part of the assessment. Where a vessel master or owner has been found guilty of fisheries offences within the last three years, UK Fisheries Administrations reserve the right to remove that application from consideration.
Gear Restrictions and Observer Coverage
Permitted gears for the 2026 fishery are limited to rod and reel, trolling, trawl and pelagic longline. Driftnets and all forms of gillnet are prohibited for North Atlantic albacore and other named ICCAT species under Article 9 of the Technical Conservation Measures Regulation.
Bait chumming is explicitly banned.
Observer coverage will apply to certain gear types in line with ICCAT Recommendation 16-14. A minimum of five per cent observer coverage of fishing effort is required in trawl fisheries, measured in fishing hauls or days, and in pelagic longline fisheries, measured in fishing days, sets or trips. Licence conditions will specify the detailed requirements for successful applicants.
Fishing in EU and International Waters
Vessels targeting albacore in EU waters, including ICES Subarea 8, face additional obligations. Mid-water pelagic trawlers of 12 metres overall length or more must actively use acoustic deterrent devices in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3089.
Operators fishing further offshore must also ensure compliance with maritime safety requirements, including appropriate radio and medical equipment and crew training standards overseen by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Landings into the UK may require the use of designated ports depending on vessel size and landing volume. Catches and discards must be recorded in line with standard quota reporting requirements. Domestic licence schedules permit retention of two swordfish as bycatch, subject to compliance with ICCAT measures, including those relating to Atlantic bluefin tuna.
Stock Characteristics and Seasonal Movements
North Atlantic albacore, Albacore, is among the smaller tuna species, reaching an estimated maximum length of 130 centimetres in the Atlantic. It is identifiable by long pectoral fins extending up to 30 per cent of fork length in larger fish, metallic dark blue dorsal colouring and silvery white ventral surfaces.
The species’ geographical distribution spans roughly 45 to 50 degrees north to 30 to 40 degrees south. From May, albacore concentrate near the Azores around 38 degrees north before migrating northwards in waters of 17 to 20 degrees Celsius. Within one to two months, concentrations typically move south-west of Ireland and into the Bay of Biscay.
Surface fisheries, including pair pelagic and mid-water trawlers, primarily target juveniles and sub-adults between 50 and 90 centimetres. Longline fisheries tend to catch larger adults and sub-adults ranging from 60 to 120 centimetres in deeper waters. In recent years, most catches have come from surface fisheries operating in the north-east Atlantic.
With quota increased and access conditions clarified, attention now turns to which nine vessels will secure authorisation and whether the UK fleet can fully utilise its 553 tonne allocation in 2026.
