Fish catches under control in European seas and oceans by 2028 [REPORT]

Leading suppliers of fish to EU ports by value. Source: EUROSTAT
On December 10, the European Union and the United Kingdom reached an agreement on fishing opportunities for 2026. It covers over 95 TACs (total allowable catches) in the Northeast Atlantic. DG Marek emphasizes that “The aim of this agreement is to ensure the sustainable management of shared fish stocks, while providing stability and predictability for fleets and operators on both sides.”
The agreement guarantees that EU fleets will be able to catch up to 288,000 tonnes of fish in waters around the UK, valued at over €1.2 billion. “It is particularly important because the stocks covered constitute the majority of the EU’s shared resources with third countries in the Northeast Atlantic,” DG Marek emphasizes.

All fishing quotas are based on the results of research and analysis by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). This organization is a network of nearly 6,000 scientists from over 700 marine institutes. These are research institutes operating in 19 EU member states and beyond. The results of research from over 2,500 scientists are used to analyze fish stocks annually. In practice, thanks to long-term cooperation and partnerships, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea maintains current information on the situation in the Atlantic Ocean, which also covers the Arctic, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the North Pacific Ocean.

Wider meshes in British nets
In their negotiations, the EU and the UK utilized the best available scientific data on the state of fish stocks, collected over many years by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). In May 2025, the EU and the UK agreed to grant full, reciprocal access to waters until 2038. This allowed, for the first time since the UK left the EU, talks to focus on setting total allowable fishing quotas for 2026. The agreement concluded in December of this year guarantees reciprocal access to waters for albacore fishing until 2030.

Share of commercial fishing in Europe. Source: European Environment Agency, 2024

This is considered a “landmark agreement on the protection of threatened fish stocks.” Scientific studies have shown that populations of several key fish stocks have decreased significantly. This occurred in the Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, and the English Channel. Cod, haddock, whiting, sole, and plaice have become increasingly rare in fishing nets.
ICES scientists determined that the stock populations have decreased below critical biological thresholds. They emphasize that this threatens the ability of fish to recover. DG Mare states that “This leads to a reduction in allowable catches and the associated revenue for the fishing industry.”
To accelerate the recovery of these fish stocks, the EU and the UK have agreed on a series of countermeasures, including increased gear selectivity. Fishermen were advised to use larger mesh sizes in their nets. The mandatory use of selective devices in lobster fishing became necessary, particularly to preserve stocks and prevent overfishing of small lobster. Furthermore, both sides agreed to implement precautionary measures for certain stocks, including spiny dogfish (GSP), rays, and sea bass. The agreed catch limits between the EU and the UK will be incorporated into the 2026 Fishing Opportunities Regulation, which was agreed at the meeting of EU Fisheries Ministers on December 11 and 12 of this year.

Baltic Sea with Increased Limits
In October of this year, EU agriculture ministers agreed on fishing quotas in the Baltic Sea for 2026. The negotiated limit is 45% higher for sprat and 15% higher for central herring than the European Commission’s proposal. The cod quota will remain unchanged. More on this topic: gospodarkamorska.pl

The limit for incidental catches of eastern Baltic cod will be 430 tonnes, and for western Baltic cod – 266 tonnes. This means maintaining the 2025 quotas and rejecting the EC’s proposal to further reduce incidental catches (to 159 tonnes for eastern Baltic cod and 42 tonnes for western Baltic cod). The ban on cod fishing in the Baltic Sea, in effect since 2020 due to the poor condition of the stock, as well as the ban on recreational fishing, will remain in place.

“From the point of view of Poland and Polish fishermen, this is undoubtedly a success,” said Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jacek Czerniak, who participated in the negotiations on next year’s fishing quotas, reports Magdalena Cedro from PAP in Brussels.

Atlantic fisheries under control
At a broader meeting, the Council reached an agreement on the allocation of 24 fishing opportunities for 2026. In some cases, catch limits were also set for 2027 and 2028. In the Atlantic and the Skagerrak-Kattegat, 81% of fishing opportunities have been set at sustainable levels. These are in line with the Commission’s recommendations for maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for 2026, DG MARE announced in a press release.
Nine multiannual total allowable catches (TACs) have been established for periods of two years or longer. This is a response to fishermen’s demands for greater predictability in their economic activities. TACs are limits established to protect populations of fish and crabs threatened by overfishing.
The aim is to ensure that EU fishing companies can survive periods of reduced catches in the long term. This is achieved by basing fishing activities on “sustainable and profitable catches by establishing annual catch quotas for specific fish species based on scientific research,” DG MARE emphasizes in a press release.

More anchovy and lobster
The agreement aims to increase catches of anchovy by 60% and megrim by 11% in the Iberian Sea. A 23% increase in lobster catches in the Cantabrian Sea was agreed, as well as anchovy by 8% and lobster by 49% in the Bay of Biscay. The Council decided to proceed with caution regarding mixed fisheries, where some stocks are healthy while others are diseased. To protect pollack in the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Sea, catches of sea bass in the Bay of Biscay have been reduced by 48%. To protect cod and sole in the Kattegat-Skagerrak, the total allowable catch of lobster and plaice has been reduced.

The agreement assumes a significant reduction in allowable catches of diseased fish stocks. The aim is to initiate and support the recovery of the most overfished fish stocks. This is also a result of the understanding by fisheries representatives that it is necessary to ensure a large-scale increase in fish stocks in the seas and oceans.

This is the only way to increase access to stocks and stabilize the income of EU fishing companies. Stocks subject to fishing restrictions practically cover most waters located within the economic zones of EU member states. Limit reductions include a 13% reduction in pollock catches in the Bay of Biscay, the Cantabrian Sea, and the Iberian Peninsula. Whiting stocks in the Bay of Biscay are also protected, with limits reduced by 27%. Catches of sole in the Skagerrak-Kattegat region have been reduced by a staggering 44%, while catches around the Iberian Peninsula have been reduced by only 9%.

Fish to be shared among fishermen
For most TACs shared with non-EU countries in the Northeast Atlantic, the Council has planned fishing opportunities for 2026. The EU has concluded a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom, as well as a trilateral agreement between the EU, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the EU has concluded negotiations on a bilateral agreement with Norway, pending signature, covering quota exchanges and access arrangements. These agreements cover over 100 TACs in total, as well as technical measures aimed at rebuilding stocks in critical condition.
The EU catch quotas for blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring for 2026 were set in accordance with the TACs approved by the EU. The catch limits were consulted with coastal states and the Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC). Unfortunately, no TAC was set for mackerel. DG Mare emphasizes that no common agreement was reached “despite all the EU’s efforts to conduct substantive consultations.”
Therefore, the EU adopted a provisional catch quota for the first six months of 2026, based on a provisional TAC consistent with ICES advice. “At the Council meeting, several EU Member States expressed their deplorable concerns about the state of this stock, overfishing, and the lack of cooperation from some non-EU countries, calling on the Commission to urgently apply Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 on unsustainable fishing to defend the EU’s legitimate rights and protect pelagic stocks in the Northeast Atlantic,” DG Mare reports.

The Commission also did not support the compromise reached in the Mediterranean Sea, believing it is inconsistent with the multiannual management plan for the Western Mediterranean, particularly with regard to setting fishing effort. EU, Norway, and Sweden – Shared Fish
The EU and Norway have concluded a balanced exchange of fishing opportunities for high-value stocks. Among other stocks, the EU will receive 9,196 tonnes of Arctic cod for 2026 and will transfer 47,905 tonnes of blue whiting to Norway. These agreements secure key fishing opportunities for 2026, as well as predictability and access for EU fleets operating in Norwegian waters, including the North Sea and the Skagerrak.
The EU and Norway also confirmed stable, reciprocal access to North Sea waters, enabling both EU and Norwegian fishermen to maintain key fishing activities. The agreement also ensures Swedish fisheries continue to have access to fishing opportunities in Norwegian waters of the North Sea.
The EU and Norway have agreed on catch limits for cod, haddock, plaice, and whiting in the Skagerrak. Both the EU and Norway have agreed to maintain restrictions on herring fishing in the Skagerrak. This is aimed at rebuilding herring stocks in the western Baltic Sea. Research by scientists and fishermen indicates that Baltic herring are intermixing with the North Sea herring population. Plans are being developed to protect specific waters to further support the recovery of these fish populations. The EU and Norway have also begun discussions on revising and improving monitoring, control, and surveillance arrangements to enhance cooperation.