European Union and the United Kingdom – sandeel fisheries consultations: written record for 2025

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.  The TCA requires Parties to hold annual consultations to agree the total allowable catches (TACs) for the following year for stocks listed in Annex 35 to the TCA. Sandeels are included in that Annex.
2. A Delegation from the United Kingdom, headed by Ms Vicki CASTRO-SPOKES, and a Delegation from the European Union, headed by Dr Norman GRAHAM, met in a virtual format on 6 March 2025 to consult on fishing opportunities for sandeels in 2025 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 for 2025 set out 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 considered the sandeel stocks listed in Annex 35 to the TCA and agreed to establish the total allowable catches (TACs) for 2025, and the associated special conditions, flexibilities and footnotes, shown in Annex 1.
5. The parties noted that ICES has recommended the establishment of a monitoring TAC in 2025 in Sandeel Management Area 4, however no monitoring TAC has been established for Sandeel Management area 4.
6. The other relevant arrangements for jointly managed stocks in the Written Record of fisheries consultations between the United Kingdom and the European Union for 2025 signed on 6 December 2024 (“the Written Record of 6 December 2024”) will continue to apply for sandeels.

Brussels
For the European Union
Norman Graham

London
For the United Kingdom
Vicki Castro-Spokes

Annex 1

Code	Common name (scientific name)	ICES areas	Agreed Total Allowable Catch (tonnes)	UK TCA TAC share (%)	UK TCA quota (tonnes)	UK transfer to/from EU (tonnes)	UK post- transfer quota (tonnes)	EU TCA TAC share (%)	EU TCA quota (tonnes)	EU transfer to/from UK (tonnes)	EU post- transfer quota (tonnes)
SAN/2A3A4.	Sandeels (North Sea, All Banks) (Ammodytes spp.)	United Kingdom and European Union waters of 4; United Kingdom waters of 2a; European Union waters of 3a	110,078 (1)(3)	3.20%	3,522	-	3,522	96.80%	106,556	-	106,556 (2)
			In Union waters of 3r, the TAC may only be fished as monitoring TAC with an associated sampling protocol for the fishery. Up to 2 % of the quota may consist of by catches of whiting and mackerel (OT1/*2A3A4). By catches of whiting and mackerel counted against the quota pursuant to this provision and by catches of species counted against the quota pursuant to Article 15(8) of regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 shall, together, not exceed 9 % of the quota. Special condition: within the limits of the abovementioned TAC, no more than the quantities indicated below may be taken in the following sandeels management areas:
SAN/234_1R	Sandeels (North Sea, Bank 1r)	Sandeel bank 1r	70,807	3.20%	2,266	-	2,266	96.80%	68,541	-	68,541
SAN/234_2R	Sandeels (North Sea, Bank 2r)	Sandeel bank 2r	39,159	3.20%	1,253	-	1,253	96.80%	37,906	-	37,906
SAN/234_3R	Sandeels (North Sea, Bank 3r)	Sandeel bank 3r	0	3.20%	0	-	0	96.80%	0	-	0
SAN/234_4	Sandeels (North Sea, Bank 4)	Sandeel bank 4	0	3.20%	0	-	0	96.80%	0	-	0
SAN/234_5R	Sandeels (North Sea, Bank 5r)	Sandeel bank 5r	0	3.20%	0	-	0	96.80%	0	-	0
SAN/234_6	Sandeels (North Sea, Bank 6)	Sandeel bank 6	112	3.20%	4	-	4	96.80%	108	-	108
SAN/234_7R	Sandeels (North Sea, Bank 7r)	Sandeel bank 7r	0	3.20%	0	-	0	96.80%	0	-	0

European Union and the United Kingdom – sandeel fisheries consultations: written record for 2025

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