UK: A bilateral agreement with Norway brings additional fishing opportunities

A bilateral agreement between the UK and Norway, signed on 17 December, provides UK fishers with additional fishing opportunities in the North Sea. The agreement allows for the exchange of fishing quotas and reciprocal access to demersal stocks like haddock, cod, and plaice, with Scottish fishers able to catch up to 30,000 tonnes of their existing quotas in Norwegian waters. The deal also includes access for North Sea herring in UK waters and Atlanto-Scandian herring in Norwegian waters, up to a cap of 20,000 tonnes. The 2025 arrangements mirror those from the previous year, which brought over £17m worth of access opportunities to UK vessels in Norwegian waters. Negotiations with the Faroe Islands are ongoing for further fishing opportunity exchanges.

Bilateral agreement with Norway brings additional fishing opportunities. Consultations with Norway on exchanges of fishing opportunities with the UK in 2025, including quotas and access, concluded with the signing of an Agreed Record on 17 December. The agreement includes reciprocal access for demersal stocks such as haddock, cod and plaice, which will allow Scottish fishers to catch up to 30,000 tonnes of their existing North Sea quotas in Norwegian waters. Access has also been agreed for North Sea herring in UK waters, and Atlanto-Scandian herring in Norwegian waters, up to a cap of 20,000 tonnes. Exchanges of quotas have also been agreed for 2025. The arrangements for 2025 mirror those from last year, ...