Fishing quotas after Brexit
More than 100 fish stocks have been co-managed by the EU together with the United Kingdom over the last decades. Following Brexit, these stocks are no longer considered EU fish resources but shared resources under international law.
With the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the EU and the United Kingdom have agreed to hold annual consultations to set their respective fishing rights over these shared stocks.
These stocks are located in the Atlantic and the North Sea. With Brexit, the EU's exclusive economic area - that is, the area of the sea and ocean over which the EU has exclusive rights to use marine resources - no longer includes the waters of the United Kingdom.
How fishing quotas are set
How fishing
quotas are set
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement defines percentages for each party for every shared fish stock
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement defines percentages for each party for every shared fish stock
Every year, the EU and UK hold consultations
to agree on fishing rights for the year to come
The European Commission presents a proposal to the Council on the position the EU should take in consultations with the UK
The European Commission presents a proposal to the Council on the position the EU should take in consultations with the UK
The Council provides guidance on the proposal
The Council provides guidance on the proposal
The Commission holds the consultations with the UK
The Commission holds the consultations with the UK
The Council is regularly updated and informed on the progress in the consultations
When an agreement is reached, the Commission presents the deal to the Council
The Council decides on its final approval, before the consultations are formally closed
The EU's principles
The EU's principles
Examples of quotas
Source: European Commission
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement indicates the percentage allocated to the EU and the UK for each shared fish stock. This percentage represents the share of the total catch limit which each party to the agreement can benefit from. The data in the graph refer to the quotas of 2021. 25% of the EU’s fishing rights in UK waters are to be transferred progressively to the United Kingdom’s fleets between 2021 and 2026.
Last updated: 18 November 2021
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