Fish stocks shared between the EU and the United Kingdom
Since January 2021, fishing rights for stocks shared between the EU and the UK are defined in bilateral annual consultations.
Fishing quotas in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) sets out the terms under which the EU and the United Kingdom (UK) can determine their individual rights to catch fish in each other's waters. Under the agreement, 25% of the EU’s fishing rights in UK waters are to be transferred progressively to the UK’s fleets between 2021 and 2026.
The two parties to the agreement have also agreed to ensure that fishing activities for shared stocks in their waters should:
- be environmentally sustainable in the long term
- contribute to the livelihoods of fishers
The agreement includes a licensing system for fishing vessels through which mutual access to each other’s waters is granted.
Annex 35 of the agreement identifies the list of fish stocks which are considered a shared resource. This amounts to approximately 100 fish stocks in the Atlantic and the North Sea.
The agreement determines the percentage allocated to the EU and UK respectively for each shared fish stock. Under the terms of the agreement, the two parties are to hold annual consultations to determine the total allowed catch limit for each fish species and their respective fishing rights, while respecting the percentages indicated in the agreement.
On 19 May 2025, the European Commission and the UK agreed to full reciprocal access to waters until 30 June 2038. This will increase stability and predictability for fishers on both sides of the Channel.
How fishing rights are agreed following Brexit
More than 100 fish stocks in the Atlantic and the North Sea have been co-managed with the United Kingdom over the last few decades. As of 2021, fish stocks which were jointly managed by the EU and the UK are no longer considered exclusive EU fish resources; instead they are shared resources under international law. Every year the EU and UK hold consultations to set their respective fishing opportunities for the shared stocks for the year to come.
The role of the Council
In line with the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, fishing opportunities for stocks which are jointly managed by the EU and the UK are established through annual consultations between the two parties, under international law.
The European Commission leads the consultations with the UK. The Council remains fully informed and is involved throughout the consultation process.
The role of the Council is to:
- provide guidance to the Commission on the EU’s position in the consultations, while being regularly updated on the progress of the negotiations
- approve the final agreement on the annual quotas before the formal conclusion of the consultations with the United Kingdom
Last review: 23 May 2025