The UK fishing industry is to benefit from an additional 140,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities in 2023 worth £282 million.
The new agreement reached with the EU takes the total value of fishing opportunities secured for the UK fleet next year to £750 million. This is £34 million more than for 2022.
In the third year of annual fisheries negotiations with the United Kingdom operating as an independent coastal state, catch levels for 69 fish stocks were agreed with the EU. This included some of the most commercially valuable stocks to the UK fishing industry such as North Sea nephrops (worth £54 million), anglerfish (£31 million), and western hake (£25 million).
UK Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said the agreement with the EU secured valuable fishing opportunities for the fishing industry while cementing a joint commitment to manage fisheries sustainably.
“These decisions are based on the latest scientific advice to help protect key fish stocks with the long-term health of the marine environment at the forefront of our minds.
“We are backing the fishing industry across the country to succeed, with a landmark £100 million investment in infrastructure, skills and better scientific data so that our fishing industry thrives for generations to come.”
This latest deal follows the agreement between the UK, the EU, and Norway on six North Sea fish stocks including cod, haddock and herring worth £202 million to the UK fishing industry, and a further £11 million stocks in other waters around the UK.
The UK also secured catch limits worth a further £256 million with the Northeast Atlantic coastal states, while an agreement with Norway last month will see the UK fishing industry benefit from fishing opportunities worth £5 million in 2023.
Wherever possible, catch levels have been set in line with, or lower than, the level advised by scientists at the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), and there is an estimated 13 percent increase in catch levels that align with ICES advice compared to last year.
UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont said the agreements showed that the government was determined to maximise the opportunities from being an independent coastal state.
“I welcome the close collaboration between the UK and Scottish government negotiating teams in securing deals which will see the Scottish industry benefit from improved catch levels for North Sea stocks including cod, hake, whiting and nephrops.”
The United Kingdom has also started negotiations with the Faroe Islands on exchanges of fishing opportunities for 2023.
