Brexit and the reduction in EU fishing quota shares, 2021 to 2023

Summary:

The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union has reshaped fisheries relations in the North-East Atlantic to an unprecedented degree, with far-reaching consequences for the fishing sector in the region and beyond. Under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, EU vessels retained full access to UK waters for an adjustment period lasting until 30 June 2026, after which access will be subject to annual consultations.

One of the most significant changes introduced by the agreement on fisheries concerns the transfer of EU fishing quotas to the UK. The agreement gradually reduces EU fishing opportunities for 55 shared stocks from 2021 to 2025, and specifies how the EU and the UK shares will change each year for each stock. The transfer is considered to represent 25 % of the value of the EU landings from UK waters. Most of the total reduction in EU fishing quota shares comes from a limited number of fish stocks.

This briefing provides a detailed account of the quota reduction for some of the most affected stocks, which together cover around three quarters of the total lost volume of EU fishing quotas. As each Member State has a specific share for each stock, the loss of quota affects them to a greater or lesser extent. This will depend on how big their share is for the stocks subject to significant reduction. The briefing also illustrates the impact of the transfer on the Member States concerned.

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