European Union and the United Kingdom – Norway Pout consultations: written record for 2027

Written Record of fisheries consultations on 19 October 2026 between the European Union and the United Kingdom on Norway Pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) in ICES division 3a, UK and Union waters of sub-area 4, and UK waters of division 2a, (North Sea) from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027.

1. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (‘the TCA’) between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) includes the objective of cooperating with a view to ensuring that fishing activities for shared stocks in their waters are environmentally sustainable in the long term and contribute to achieving economic and social benefits, and requires the Parties to hold consultations annually to agree the total allowable catches (TACs) for the following year for the stocks listed in Annex 35 to the TCA. Norway Pout (North Sea) (NOP/2A3A4) is included in that Annex.
2. A Delegation from the United Kingdom headed by Dr Emily Hawkes and a Delegation from the European Union headed by Dr Norman Graham  met in a virtual format on 19 October 2026 to consult on fishing opportunities for Norway Pout (North Sea) (NOP/2A3A4) from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027 in accordance with Article 498 (Fishing Opportunities) of the TCA. This Written Record documents the outcome of those consultations. 
3. The Heads of Delegations agreed to recommend to their respective authorities the fishery arrangements from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027 outlined in this Written Record, including Annex 1. Accordingly, where this Written Record refers to the Delegations (or the Parties) having agreed on a matter, it should be read as an agreement to recommend to the Delegations’ respective authorities to implement the arrangements in this Written Record, including Annex 1.
4. The Delegations took note of the ICES zero-catch advice for Norway pout (ICES sub area 4 and division 3.a) from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027, therefore no directed fisheries for Norway Pout will be permitted during this period. In order to account for small amounts of unavoidable bycatches of other fisheries, the Parties agreed to set a bycatch TAC of 400t from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027. The level of the bycatch TAC is based on levels of recent unavoidable bycatches in other fisheries. Details of the TAC and each Party’s allocation are shown in Annex 1. 
5. The Delegations noted that the ICES advice for Northern prawn for 2026 is for no directed fisheries, and that the current ICES advice for Norway pout, where Northern Prawn is taken as a by-catch, is for a zero catch. Therefore, the Delegations agreed not to establish a by-catch TAC for Northern prawn. The Delegations agreed to keep the zero TAC for Northern prawn for 2026-27 and review the TAC again during negotiations about Norway pout for the 2027-28 fishing year.
6. The other relevant arrangements for Norway Pout (North Sea) set out in the Written Record of fisheries consultations between the United Kingdom and the European Union for 2026, signed on 10 December 2025 will continue to apply.
7. The Delegations reaffirm their commitment to implementing an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management as set out in the Parties’ domestic legislation and in regional and international agreements. The Delegations note the ecological significance of forage fish species such as sprat, Norway pout, herring and sandeel as an important food source for seabirds, other fish species and marine mammals and that their function and role should be considered when setting fishing opportunities, guided by the best available scientific advice. The Delegations agreed to continue technical discussions in 2027 and 2028 on ecosystem-based approaches for the management of UK-EU shared forage fish stocks and to further exchange views on the scientific and management implications of such approaches, with a view to progress this work.

London
For the United Kingdom
Emily Hawkes

Brussels
For the European Union
Norman Graham

Annex 1

UK allocation

Code	Common Name	ICES areas	Agreed Total Allowable Catch (tonnes)	TCA TAC share (%)	TCA quota (tonnes)	Transfer to/from EU (tonnes)	UK post-transfer quota (tonnes)
NOP/2A3A4	Norway Pout (North Sea) Trisopterus esmarkii	3a; United Kingdom and European Union waters of 4; United Kingdom waters of 2a	400(1)	25%	100	0	100

 

EU allocation

Code	Common Name	ICES areas	Agreed Total Allowable Catch (tonnes)	TCA TAC share (%)	TCA quota (tonnes)	Transfer to/from EU (tonnes)	UK post-transfer quota (tonnes)
NOP/2A3A4	Norway Pout (North Sea) Trisopterus esmarkii	3a; United Kingdom and European Union waters of 4; United Kingdom waters of 2a	400(1)	75%	300	0	300(2)

(1) Exclusively for bycatches. No directed fisheries for Norway pout are permitted under this quota.
(2) Bycatch quota may be fished in 3a, United Kingdom and European Union waters of 4; United Kingdom waters of 2a only.

Norway Pout EU UK - Signed Agreed Record (PDF)

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