Marine Scotland Blog
Annual fisheries negotiations concluded
The Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for 2026 have been set at levels which take into account scientific advice, socioeconomic factors and, where appropriate, TAC constraints to mitigate large increases and decreases, which could negatively impact the industry and markets.
The number of TACs for key Scottish stocks set at or below the Maximum Sustainable Yield and/or headline advice level has remained the same as in 2025.
Trilateral negotiations between the UK, EU and Norway reached agreement on a package of measures for Northern Shelf cod, which aim to reduce fishing pressure, increase spawning stock biomass, and deliver improvements to existing management. The TAC was set at a -44% decrease compared to 2025, reflecting the Fmsy catch scenario for the two northern substocks, and headline advice for the southern substock. Parties agreed to update elements of their respective Real Time Closures schemes, to extend their respective spawning closures, and to introduce provisions limiting how much quota can be caught in EU and UK waters of the southern North Sea. In the longer term, the Parties agreed to develop a Long Term Management Strategy (LTMS) for the stock, and to further review management measures within the trilateral cod management working group.
Parties agreed a LTMS for North Sea herring, alongside a new, single-fleet management model. The TAC for 2026 was set based on the LTMS, at a level of 328,566 tonnes. The UK will have a start share of 19.3% of the TAC, and in addition will receive a transfer from Norway of 0.2% of the TAC, in return for increased access into UK waters. This means that the UK net share will be 19.5% of the TAC. Quotas for the remaining trilateral whitefish stocks were set at levels within the headline advice. Joint actions agreed for the trilateral stocks will be progressed during 2026.
Bilateral negotiations between the UK and the EU concluded with TACs set for over 80 jointly managed stocks, including those in the North Sea and West of Scotland, including key Scottish stocks of nephrops, monkfish, Rockall haddock and cod, and West of Scotland whiting, cod, and haddock. A suite of management measures and commitments have also been agreed to progress through the UK-EU Specialised Committee on Fisheries in 2026, including for spurdog, skate and rays and ling.
The UK, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Norway agreed a new and enhanced arrangement on mackerel on 16 December. Details of this can be found here. Separate agreements were reached on blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian (Norwegian Spring Spawning) herring, where the TACs were set in line with headline science advice.
The exchange of fishing opportunities have also been agreed with Norway and Faroe. The bilateral between the UK and Norway concluded with agreement to exchange quota and continue both access agreements which have been in place since 2022. These allow Scottish boats to catch key stocks such as cod, haddock and Atlanto-Scandian herring in Norwegian waters, providing an expected £15m in demersal opportunities and £7m in pelagic to the UK.
Bilateral negotiations between the UK and the Faroe Islands also concluded at the end of 2025. The structure of the agreement mirrors previous years with the UK providing Faroe with quota for Greenland halibut and NAFO 3L cod. The early conclusion of the agreement will allow Scottish vessels to have access to Faroe grounds to fish key stocks of cod, haddock and saithe, worth approximately £4m to the UK.
The NEAFC annual meeting took place in November. Measures were adopted for stocks including Atlanto-Scandian (Norwegian Spring Spawning) herring and Rockall haddock, as well as a number of control and enforcement measures. Measures currently in place at NEAFC can be viewed on the NEAFC website.
Concluded agreements can be found here. Allocations of quotas to individual producer organisations and vessels will be made in the new year.
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UK, Norway, Faroe Islands and Iceland reach mackerel arrangement
This is a significant step, demonstrating joint leadership and cooperation, aiming to ensure long-term conservation of North-East Atlantic mackerel, one of Scotland’s most important fish stocks.
Key elements of this new and enhanced arrangement include:
- providing a further positive step towards reaching a fully comprehensive six party quota-sharing arrangement;
- provide a further reduction in fishing pressure of -9.23% of the global TAC. This is on top of the -10.25% reduction already secured through our previous agreements with Norway and Faroe. This will limit fishing by all Coastal states to around 107.5% of the TAC versus almost 118% without this added cooperation, when compared to no agreements.
- promoting the efficient utilisation of the fishery and significantly reducing the need for parties to fish in international waters, linked to associated bilateral access arrangements;
- defining a process for addressing fishing party activity;
- limiting ‘banking and borrowing’ of quota;
- outlining a request to ICES to produce a long-term management strategy for the stock;
- clearly setting out the parties, to the agreement, intent to set their TACs for 2026 in line with an MSY catch scenario of 299,010 tonnes;
- providing stability for industry. In the absence of a comprehensive sharing arrangement for the stock being agreed, these arrangements will remain in place until at least 2028.
The overarching aim remains to achieve a fully comprehensive six party sharing arrangement. Parties have committed to work in good faith to secure a full six-party agreement that includes the EU and Greenland. This interim deal keeps that door open.
Scotland will continue to put our full energy behind the wider sharing consultations with the aim of seeking agreements based on robust evidence, ensure the sustainability of this stock and fisheries in the long term and are as comprehensive as possible.
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