European Union and the United Kingdom - fisheries consultations: written record 2026

References

[1] Trade and cooperation agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, which was signed on 30 December 2020 and which came into force on 1 May 2021.

[2] Plaice (West of Scotland) PLE/56-14 and Sole (West of Scotland) SOL/56-14.

[3] The species is also referred to as Picked dogfish and Spiny dogfish.

[4] As defined in Art. 495(1)(a) of the TCA. In accordance with Article 5(3), Part II (Access to waters) of Regulation 1380/2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, this excludes access to waters up to 100 nautical miles from the baselines of the Union outermost regions.

[5] ICES divisions 7f, 7g, the part of 7h North of latitude 49° 30′ North and the part of 7j North of latitude 49° 30′ North and East of longitude 11° West.

[6] In UK waters in the part of VIIf east of the 5°W line, a derogation allows for an 80mm cod end, provided the trawl is fitted with a 120mm square mesh panel, where the catch of gadoids (cod, haddock and saithe) caught, are less than 10% of the total catch over a full trip. In ICES division 7f inside 12nm of UK coastline, a derogation allows for a 100 mm cod end with either, a 100 mm square mesh panel, or a 100mm cod end constructed of a single twine of a maximum of 5 mm.

[7] ‘Nordmøre sorting grid’ means a selectivity device which:
(a) consists of a rigid grid with a maximum bar spacing of 35mm;
(b) is fitted with a square mesh panel of 120 mm mesh size, positioned between 9 to 12 metres from the codline.

[8] A ‘Netgrid device’ means a selectivity device consisting of a four-panel section inserted into a two-panel trawl with an inclined sheet of diamond mesh netting with a mesh size of at least 200mm leading to an escape hole in the top of the trawl.

[9] ‘SELTRA 300mm square-mesh sorting box’ means a selectivity device which: 
(a) consists of a top panel of at least 300mm mesh size (square mesh), placed in a four-panel box section, in the straight section of a cod end; 
(b) is at least 3 metres long;
(c) is positioned no more than 4 metres from the cod line; and 
(d) is the full width of the top sheet of the box section of the trawl (i.e. from selvedge to selvedge).

[10] Permitted until the end of 2026 to allow for an assessment of catch composition of cod, haddock and whiting to judge performance against the above measures, criteria and assessment will be designed and conducted by each party. 

[11] In EU waters, this applies to vessels using otter trawls or seines with more than 25% cod, haddock, whiting and saithe combined.

[12] In ICES division 7e west of 5° W (UK waters), vessels will use a 100mm square mesh panel, or if inside 12 nm of the UK coastline, a 100mm cod-end constructed of a single twine of a maximum of 5mm

[13] For greater certainty, in UK waters, a minimum mesh size of 100mm applies to seines and otter trawls in ICES division 7e, and to seines in ICES division 7d.

[14] In UK Waters of 7d and 7e, beam trawls may use an 80mm cod-end for vessels 12m and under and at or under 221kw. 

[15] In EU waters, this applies to vessels using beam trawls, otter trawls or seines with more than 30% sole and plaice combined in ICES divisions 7d and 7e, and with less than 25% cod, haddock, whiting and saithe combined for otter trawls or seines in division 7e. Vessels using otter trawls or seines with more than 25% cod, haddock, whiting and saithe combined in ICES division 7e will use a 100 mm cod-end as detailed under point i. and footnote 11.

[16] For beam trawls in ICES division 7e this includes a panel with a mesh size of at least 180mm fitted in the upper half of the anterior part of the net.

[17] In ICES division 7a, a derogation allows for a cod-end of 70mm for single rig vessels. Vessels below 12 meters in length overall may use a 200mm squared mesh panel until the end of 2026, to allow for the assessment of 200mm and 300mm square mesh panel as detailed in footnote 18.

[18] Permitted until the end of 2026 to allow for an assessment of catch composition of cod and whiting to judge performance against the above measures, criteria and assessment will be designed and conducted by each party.