A new bilateral fisheries agreement between the United Kingdom and the Faroe Islands will give the UK fishing fleet access to 1,000 tonnes of cod and haddock and 1,250 tonnes of Atlantic pollock this year, while Faroese fishers can catch 1,000 tonnes of horse mackerel and 750 tonnes of Greenland halibut in UK waters.
The UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) advises that in the agreement – signed in Copenhagen on 8 February 2022 – the country secured exchanges of opportunities valued at around £5.5 million for the fishing industry through the annual negotiations with the Faroe Islands.
Based on historical landings prices, the cod and haddock volume is worth approximately £2.2 million to the UK fishing industry, while the pollock is worth around £1.3 million.
It will also benefit from a further 225 tonnes of ling and blue ling worth around £400,000; 10 tonnes of redfish equating approximately £20,000; 75 tonnes of flatfish worth approximately £350,000 and 500 tonnes of unspecified other fish stocks worth around £1.3 million.
In total, the government department estimates that the opportunities delivered for 2022 are worth £2 million more to the UK than under the previous EU arrangements.
UK Fisheries Minister, Victoria Prentis, said she was pleased that negotiations had been concluded with the Faroe Islands, and that “a fair and balanced agreement on fishing arrangements for 2022” had been agreed.
“Negotiating as an independent coastal state, we have secured a better deal that will provide UK fleets with £5.5 million worth of fishing opportunities, including high priority stocks like cod and haddock,” she said.
U.K. Government Minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord, commented, “This is another important step as we continue to grow as an independent coastal state. Scottish whitefish vessels will be a big beneficiary of this deal but it’s good news for the fishing sector across Scotland and the UK more widely as we help to deliver a sustainable and profitable future for this vital industry.”
According to Defra, the new agreement also includes the potential for an increase in opportunities for the UK fishing industry during 2022, which could see the total value rise to £7.75 million.
In previous years, bilateral negotiations with the Faroe Islands were led by the European Commission on behalf of the UK and EU member states.
The new agreement does not impact the United Kingdom’s bilateral negotiations with the EU, which concluded on 21 December 2021 and focussed on the setting of total allowable catches (TACs) for bilateral UK-EU stocks and a range of related technical measures.
UK vessels wishing to fish in Faroese waters in 2022 and with an allocation to do so will be able to apply for an external waters licence via the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA).
