European Union, Norway and the United Kingdom - fisheries consultations: agreed records 2023

Annexes

• annex I
• annex II
• annex III
• annex IV
• annex V
• annex VI
• annex VII
• annex VIII
• annex IX
• annex X
• table 1
• table 2
• table 3

Annex I

Conditions for fisheries by the Parties in 2023

I. Joint stocks

1. The Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for the stocks mentioned in Table 1 for 2023 shall be as indicated in that table. If ICES make new scientific recommendations, the Parties will review these TACs.

2. The TACs referred to in paragraph 1 shall be divided between the Parties as indicated in Table 1.

3. Each Party shall inform the other Parties of allocations granted to a third country for fishing of the stocks referred to in Table 1.

4. The Parties shall supply each other with monthly catch statistics for fishing on the stocks referred to in Table 1 by their own vessels. Communication of these statistics for the preceding month shall take place at the latest on the last day of each month.

II. Fishery regulations

1. The Parties will inform each other of their respective fishery regulations applicable in the North Sea.

2. A Party intending to introduce or amend fishery regulations applicable to vessels of the other Parties shall duly inform the other Parties of such intentions.

Annex II

Inter-annual quota flexibility

The inter-annual quota flexibility scheme applicable to the jointly managed stocks discussed during these consultations shall be terminated if:

• the spawning stock biomass is estimated to be below the precautionary reference point Bpa in the TAC year and the fishing mortality is estimated to be above the precautionary reference point Fpa in the intermediate year, or
• the SSB is estimated to be below Bpa in both the TAC year and the year thereafter

Each Party may transfer unutilised quota from the TAC year to be caught in the following year. Each Party may transfer up to 10% of its total quota allocation. This quantity cannot be transferred further in subsequent years.

Each Party may authorise fishing by its vessels beyond its total quota allocation for the TAC year by up to 10%. The quantity fished beyond the allocated quota shall be deducted from the Party’s allocation for the year after the TAC year.

The Delegations agreed that in order to ensure transparency in the operation of inter-annual quota flexibility, more detailed information on catch utilisation shall be exchanged.

To note, the TAC year is the year for which the agreed TAC applies, and the intermediate year is the year prior to the TAC year.

Annex III

Seasonal area closures to protect spawning cod

The following areas in the table below will be closed for all gears excluding pelagic gears (purse seine and trawl), for the identified time period:

Time limited closures
No	Area name	Co-ordinates	Time period	Additional comment
1	Stanhope ground	60o 10N - 02o 00E 60o 10N - 02o 45E 60o 25N - 01o 45E 60o 25N - 02o 00E	1 January to 30 April
2	Long Hole	59o 07.35N - 0o 31.04W 59o 03.60N - 0o 22.25W 58o 59.35N - 0o 17.85W 58o 56.00N - 0o 11.01W 58o 56.60N - 0o 08.85W 58o 59.86N - 0o 15.65W 59o 03.50N - 0o 20.00W 59o 08.15N - 0o 29.07W	1 January to 31 March
3	Coral edge	58o 51.70N - 03o 26.70E 58o 40.66N - 03o 34.60E 58o 24 00N - 03o 12.40E 58o 24 00N - 02o 55.00E 58o 35 65N - 02o 56.30E	1 January to 28 February
4	Papa Bank	59o 56N - 03o 08W 59o 56N - 02o 45W 59o 35N - 03o 15W 59o 35N - 03o 35W	1 January to 15 March
5	Foula Deeps	60o 17.5N - 01o 45W 60o 11.0N - 01o 45W 60o 11.0N - 02o 10W 60o 20.0N - 02o 00W 60o 20.0N - 01o 50W	1 November to 31 December
6	Egersund Bank	58o 07.40N - 04o 33.0E 57o 53.00N - 05o 12.0E 57o 40.00N - 05o 10.9E 57o 57.90N - 04o 31.9E	1 January to 31 March	(10 x 25 nm)
7	East of Fair Isle	59o 40N - 01o 23W 59o 40N - 01o 13W 59o 30N - 01o 20W 59o 10N - 01o 20W 59o 10N - 01o 28W 59o 30N - 01o 28W	1 January to 15 March
8	West Bank	57o 15N - 05o 01E 56o 56N - 05o 00E 56o 56N - 06o 20E 57o 15N - 06o 20E	1 February to 15 March	(18 x 4 nm)
9	Revet	57o 28.43N - 08o 05.66E 57o 27.44N - 08o 07.20E 57o 51.77N - 09o 26.33E 57o 52.88N - 09o 25.00E	1 February to 15 March	(1.5 x 49 nm)
10	Rabarberen	57o 47.00N - 11o 04.00E 57o 43.00N - 11o 04.00E 57o 43.00N - 11o 09.00E 57o 47.00N – 11o 09.00E	1 February to 15 March	East of Skagen (2.7x4 nm)

Annex IV

Terms of reference for a working group on monitoring, control and surveilance (MCS) of fisheries on joint stocks from 2019 to 2024

The objective of the Working Group is to co-operate, exchange information and best practices related to control of joint stocks, in mutual interest of securing continued responsible fisheries and ensuring the long-term conservation and sustainable exploitation of the marine living resources for which the Parties are responsible.

The scope of the Working Group is mainly fisheries for cod, haddock, saithe, whiting, plaice and herring in the North Sea.

The MCS Working Group should:

1. Compare existing inspection practices and guidelines with the view to recommend best practices for:

• sea inspections (e.g., gear, catch composition, discard ban/landing obligation)
• landing inspections

2. Compare relevant topics with the view to, as appropriate, recommend best practices such as:

• weighing requirements, including sampling plans etc.
• logbook, landings, sales documentation, and traceability requirements

3. Conduct missions (exchange of inspectors) to identify inspection best practices, weighing and documentation practices as appropriate.

4. Consider the need and topics for training or workshops for inspectors taking advantage of other fora or meetings.

5. Exchange experience on other relevant issues such as discard ban/landing obligation, post landing inspections, procedures and practices, including as regards enforcement measures further to the identification of violations.

6. Exchange experience on existing risk assessment methods and consider the possibility to share relevant output data related to risk assessment (identified risks and risk handling).

In addition, the NS MCS WG should also focus on monitoring, inspection and surveillance for the control of the cod and cod-related fisheries in the North Sea to ensure compliance with technical measures and catch registration obligations.

If there are any other relevant issues, which the Working Group believes would result in a more efficient Monitoring, Control and Surveillance of fisheries in the North Sea, the Working Group could explore these as appropriate.

Annex V

Tentative work plan for the MCS WG North Sea

Task	2019	2020 / 2021	2022	2023	2024
Sea Inspections	Compare	-		Recommend best practice	-
Landing inspections	Compare	-		Recommend best practice	-
Weighing requirements	-	-	Compare	Recommend best practice
Logbook, landing, sales data and traceability requirements	-	-	Compare	Recommend best practice	-
Training/Workshop as appropriate	Training TBD	Training TBD	Training TBD	Training TBD	Training TBD
Exchange inspectors/missions (as appropriate)	Missions TBD	Missions TBD	Missions TBD	Missions TBD	Missions TBD
Post Landing Inspections	-	-	Compare	Recommend best practice	-
Risk assessment	Exchange experience and exchange relevant output data (strategic level)	Exchange experience and exchange relevant output data (strategic level)	Exchange experience and exchange relevant output data (strategic level)	Exchange experience and exchange relevant output data (strategic and tactical level)	Exchange experience and exchange relevant output data (strategic and tactical level)

Annex VI

Terms of reference for a working group on hake

Terms of Reference for a Working Group on the distribution of hake (Merluccius merluccius) in the Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, the Northern Bay of Biscay and adjacent waters.

The objective of the Working Group is to collect and collate information on the entire geographical distribution of all life stages of hake (Northern stock), based on internationally recognised data collection methods and on the distribution of catches from this stock.

The Working Group shall:

1. Present currently available fishery independent data on the geographical distribution on an annual survey basis for all life stages (biomass and abundance or their appropriate proxies) at the highest level of spatial resolution possible and coded by relevant ICES Areas and national fisheries jurisdiction and international waters since year 1987, or for an alternative period if so decided by the Working Group.

2. Describe/evaluate the quality, coverage and utility of the survey data for the purposes of assessing the distribution of the stock in time and space, consistent with standards acceptable to the Working Group, including listing all the scientific surveys which are available for determining the distribution of the stock or which are carried out by the Parties.

3. For each coastal State, present total annual catch data by month and ICES statistical rectangle from 1987-2020, and by the respective zones of national fisheries jurisdiction and international waters as precisely as the data allow since 1987, or for an alternative period if so decided by the Working Group.

4. Describe the quality, coverage and utility of the catch data for the purposes of assessing the distribution of the stock in time and space.

5. Compile the management measures, as provided by fisheries managers, adopted by the Parties for the stock, such as catch limitations and quota schemes (including quota uptake levels), as well as any management measures which would have an impact on such catch limitations.

6. Present a description of the fleet segments involved in the fisheries of the stock by each Party since year 1987, or for an alternative period if so decided by the Working Group.

The Working Group shall be composed of scientific experts from the Coastal States. Managers will provide the Working Group with the necessary material to document the management measures.

Annex VII

Terms of reference for a working group on Norway Pout

Terms of Reference for a Working Group on the distribution of Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) in Subarea 4 (North Sea) and Division 3.a (Skagerrak and Kattegat) and adjacent waters.

The objective of the Working Group is to collect and collate information on the entire geographical distribution of all life stages of Norway pout, based on internationally recognised data collection methods and on the distribution of catches from this stock.

The Working Group shall:

1. Present currently available fishery independent data on the geographical distribution on an annual survey basis for all life stages (biomass and abundance or their appropriate proxies) by relevant ICES Areas and national fisheries jurisdiction since year 1987, or for an alternative period if so decided by the Working Group.

2. Describe/evaluate the quality, coverage and utility of the survey data for the purposes of assessing the distribution of the stock in time and space, consistent with standards acceptable to the Working Group, including listing all the scientific surveys which are available for determining the distribution of the stock or which are carried out by the Parties.

3. For each coastal State, present total annual catch data by month and ICES statistical rectangle from 1987-2021, and by the respective zones of national fisheries jurisdiction as precisely as the data allow since 1987, or for an alternative period if so decided by the Working Group.

4. Describe the quality, coverage and utility of the catch data for the purposes of assessing the distribution of the stock in time and space.

5. Compile the management measures, as provided by fisheries managers, adopted by the Parties for the stock, such as catch limitations and quota schemes (including quota uptake levels), as well as any management measures which would have an impact on such catch limitations.

6. Present a description of the fleet segments involved in the fisheries of the stock by each Party since year 1987, or for an alternative period if so decided by the Working Group.

The Working Group shall be composed of scientific experts from the Coastal States. Managers will provide the Working Group with the necessary material to document the management measures.

Annex VIII

Terms of reference for a working group on Anglerfish

Terms of Reference for a Working Group on the distribution of Anglerfish (Lophius budegassa, Lophius piscatorius) in subareas 4 and 6, and in Division 3.a (North Sea, Rockall and West of Scotland, Skagerrak and Kattegat).

The objective of the Working Group is to collect and collate information on the entire geographical distribution of all life stages of the two species of Anglerfish, based on internationally recognised data collection methods and on the distribution of catches from this stock.

The Working Group shall:

1. Present currently available fishery independent data on the geographical distribution on an annual survey basis for all life stages (biomass and abundance or their appropriate proxies) at the highest level of spatial resolution possible and coded by relevant ICES Areas and national fisheries jurisdiction and international waters since year 1987, or for an alternative period if so decided by the Working Group.

2. Describe/evaluate the quality, coverage and utility of the survey data for the purposes of assessing the distribution and migration of the stock in time and space, consistent with standards acceptable to the Working Group, including listing all the scientific surveys which are available for determining the distribution of the stock or which are carried out by the Parties.

3. For each coastal State, present total annual catch data by ICES statistical rectangle from 1987-2021, and by the respective zones of national fisheries jurisdiction and international waters as precisely as the data allow since 1987 or for an alternative period if so decided by the Working Group.

4. Describe the quality, coverage and utility of the catch data and fishing effort data for the purposes of assessing the distribution of the stock in time and space.

5. Compile the management measures, as provided by fisheries managers, adopted by the Parties for the stock, such as catch limitations and quota schemes (including quota uptake levels), as well as any management measures which would have an impact on such catch limitations.

6. Present a description of the fleet segments involved in the fisheries of the stock by each Party since year 1987 or for an alternative period if so decided by the Working Group.

The Working Group shall composed of scientific experts from the Coastal States. Managers will provide the Working Group with the necessary material to document the management measures.

Annex IX

Terms of reference for a working group on notification and authorisation of fishing vessels for 2023

The Delegations agreed that the Working Group on Notification and Authorisation of fishing vessels should meet before 31 May 2023 under the Terms of Reference described below. After that, the Working Group should meet as appropriate.

The Working Group shall carry out a scoping exercise to seek harmonisation of technical arrangements, procedures and specifications based on the UN/FLUX standard for the exchange between the Parties on how to notify vessels, request and grant fishing authorisations/licences, as well as any other domain identified by the Working Group during the scoping exercise.

The Working Group should submit its report to the Parties well in advance of the annual consultations for 2023.

Annex X

Joint request to ICES to advise on a long-term management plan for North Sea herring autumn spawners in North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat and Eastern English Channel

The European Union, Norway, and the United Kingdom jointly request ICES to advise on the long-term management strategies on North Sea autumn spawners herring (Clupea harengus) in Subarea 4 and divisions 3.a and 7.d, (North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat, eastern English Channel). A request is provided below.

ICES is requested to identify appropriate precautionary combinations in the format of Tables given in its response to the EU, Norway and the United Kingdom request to ICES to evaluate a multi-annual management strategy for herring (Clupea harengus) in Subarea 4 and divisions 3.a and 7.d, autumn spawners (North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat, eastern English Channel) (her.27.3a47d), using:

• a harvest control rule with a fishing mortality equal to the target F when SSB is at or above Btrigger

In the case that the SSB is forecast to be less than Btrigger at spawning time in the year for which the TAC is to be set, the TAC shall be fixed consistently with a fishing mortality that is given by: F = Ftarget*SSB/Btrigger

• a range of Btrigger from 800 000 to 1 700 00 tonnes with a range of target Fs up to FLim
• for the combinations above explore the following exploitation pattern scenarios:

1. Recent exploitation pattern (averaged over 2012-2021).

2. A historic exploitation pattern (averaged over 1998-2007).

3. Ranges of assumptions for values of F0-1 that vary between 0-0.1 independent from recent exploitation patterns for older fish (F2+).

4. The recent exploitation pattern with F0-1=0 from above contrasted with exploitation patterns moved to one year older and one year younger fish (three scenarios).

Long term goals:

• maximise yield
• minimising the risk of falling below Blim
• achieve stability of catches

All alternatives should be evaluated with and without a constraint on the inter-annual variation of TAC. When the rules would lead to a TAC, which deviates by more than 20% below or 25% above the TAC of the preceding year, the Parties shall fix a TAC that is respectively no more than 20% less or 25% more than the TAC of the preceding year. The TAC constraint shall not apply if the SSB at spawning time in the year for which the TAC is to be set is less or equal to Btrigger.

The constraint mechanism shall be tested separately from and in combination with 10% banking and borrowing mechanism. Banking and borrowing should be suspended when SSB is below Btrigger.

Evaluation and performance criteria

Each alternative shall be assessed in relation to how it performs in the short term (5 years), medium term (next 10 years) and long term (next 25 years) in relation to:

• _average SSB

• _average yield

• _indicator for year to year variability in SSB and yield

• _risk of SSB falling below Blim

Table 1

2023 quotas for jointly managed shared stocks in the North Sea

Species	ICES Area	TAC	Sharing
			Norway		EU		UK
			%	Tonnes	%	Tonnes	%	Tonnes
Cod	4	21,652	17.00	3,681	37.36	8,089	45.64	9,882
Haddock	4	58,402	23.00	13,432	13.20	7,709	63.80	37,261
Saithe	4, 3.a	53,374	52.00	27,755	36.41	19,433	11.59	6,186
Whiting	4	34,294	10.00	3,429	27.57	9,455	62.43	21,410
Plaice	4	132,922	7.00	9,305	66.53	88,433	26.47	35,184
Herring	4, 7.d	396,556	29.00	115,001	51.40	203,830	19.60	77,725

Table 2

2021 catch statistics for jointly managed shared stocks in the North Sea

Species	ICES area	EU catches				Norway catches				UK catches
		Fisheries jurisdiction			Total	Fisheries jurisdiction			Total	Fisheries jurisdiction			Total
		EU	Norway	UK		EU	Norway	UK		EU	Norway	UK
Cod	4	1,130	2,222	890	4,242	12	1,651	-	1,663	15		6,426	6,441
Haddock	4	850	624	1,337	2,811	2	2,215	-	2,217	5		17,328	17,333
Saithe	4, 3a	933	5,356	11,334	17,622	14	20,446	-	20,460	0		8,045	8,045
Whiting	4	1,011	99	784	1,893	-	1,098	-	1,098	50		11,572	11,622
Plaice	4	17,442	3,595	2,336	23,373	-	24	-	24	2,628		2,290	4,918
Herring	4, 7d	27,551	869	148,718	177,138	-	95,059	-	95,059	3	-	69,582	69,585

Table 3

2022 provisional catch statistics for jointly managed fish stocks in the North Sea

Species	ICES area	EU catches (January to October 2022)				Norway catches (January to November 2022)				UK catches (January to November 2022)
		Fisheries jurisdiction			Total	Fisheries jurisdiction			Total	Fisheries jurisdiction			Total
		EU	Norway	UK		EU	Norway	UK		EU	Norway	UK
Cod	4	673	1,869	535	3,077	15	995	1,128	2,138	17	1,202	4,442	5,661
Haddock	4	961	633	1,503	3,098	-	2,208	296	2,504	120	3,290	18,920	22,330
Saithe	4, 3a	666	3,286	10,757	14,709	47	13,059	7,056	20,162	2	1,041	4,831	5,873
Whiting	4	645	121	616	1,382	-	12	897	909	76	706	8,702	9,484
Plaice	4	10,455	2,616	1,132	14,203	-	15	-	15	2,424	750	960	4,134
Herring	4, 7d	3,249	2,699	166,608	172,556	-	120,857	11,496	132,353	132		77,806	77,938