Britain and the EU have reached agreement “in principle” on joint management of fisheries for this year, after over five months of negotiations.
The agreement was finalised in a phone call on Wednesday afternoon, June 2nd, between the EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, and Britain’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs George Eustice, the commission says.
“Today's agreement closes the first-ever annual consultations on fishing opportunities between the EU and the UK under the terms of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA),” the commission said last night.
“The successful conclusion of the negotiations, which started in January, creates a strong basis for continued EU-UK cooperation in the area of fisheries,” it said.
The agreement establishes the total allowable catches (TAC) for 75 shared fish stocks for 2021, as well as for some deep-sea stocks for 2021 and 2022, it said.
“It also provides clarity on access limits for non-quota species. The signing of the agreement, expected in the coming days, will also enable both parties to engage in quota exchanges,” the commission said.
Commissioner Sinkevičius said the agreement “provides predictability and continuity for our fleets with definitive TACs for the remainder of the year”.
“This is good for fishermen and women, our coastal communities and our ports, as well as for the sustainable use of our marine resources. This also proves that two partners on both sides of the Channel can find agreements and move forward if they work together,” he said.
The EU said the agreement is “based on the best available scientific advice on the state of fish stocks, as provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea”.
“It takes into account important sustainability and management principles, such as maximum sustainable yield and the precautionary approach, which are central to both the EU's Common Fisheries Policy and to the fisheries provisions of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement,” it said.
It said it would “shortly propose to the EU Council to incorporate the agreement into EU legislation”.