European Union, Norway and the United Kingdom - fisheries consultations: agreed records 2026

Table 1 

2026 Quotas for Jointly Managed Shared Stocks in the North Sea 

Species	ICES Area	TAC	Sharing[1]
			Norway		EU		UK
			%	Tonnes	%	Tonnes	%	Tonnes
Cod	4	11,164	17.00	1,898	35.69	3,984	47.31	5,282
Haddock	4	92,337	23.00	21,237	12.19	11,256	64.81	59,844
Saithe	4, 3.a	54,053	52.00	28,108	35.52	19,199	12.48	6,746
Whiting	4	159,344	10.00	15,934	23.82	37,956	66.18	105,454
Plaice	4	144,605	7.00	10,122	66.53	96,206	26.47	38,277
Herring	4, 7.d, 3.a	328,566	27.70	91,013	53.00	174,140	19.30	63,413

[1] Tonnages are calculated on the basis of the above shares to two decimal places.

Table 2 

2024 catch statistics for jointly managed shared stocks in the North Sea[2]

Species	ICES area	EU catches[3]				Norway catches[4]				UK catches[5]
		Fisheries jurisdiction			Total	Fisheries jurisdiction			Total	Fisheries jurisdiction			Total
		EU	Norway	UK		EU	Norway	UK		EU	Norway	UK
Cod	4	790	4,235	811	5,836	7	2,082	1,467	3,556	15	1,611	11,341	12,967
Haddock	4	2,567	736	2,238	5,541	10	1,708	630	2,348	86	3,567	30,094	33,747
Saithe	4, 3.a	1,172	6,516	9,854	17,541	49	19,149	8,026	27,224	0	1,245	6,998	8,243
Whiting	4	1,514	191	1,130	2,835	6	273	35	314	268	579	8,862	9,709
Plaice	4	8,207	1,367	1,040	10,613	1	32	5	38	2,641	396	966	4,003
Herring	4, 7.d	29,736	493	212,444	242,673	277	117,898	19,982	138,157	392	-	101,833	102,225

[2]  Some figures may not add up due to rounding.
[3]  Aggregated catch data based on landed weight.
[4]  Landing notes.
[5]  Landing declarations. 

Table 3 

2025 Provisional catch statistics for jointly managed shared stocks in the North Sea[6] 

Species	ICES area	EU catches[7]				Norway catches[8]				UK catches[9]
		Fisheries jurisdiction			Total	Fisheries jurisdiction			Total	Fisheries jurisdiction			Total
		EU	Norway	UK		EU	Norway	UK		EU	Norway	UK
Cod	4	405	2,434	796	3,634	17	1,310	638	1,983	6	1,088	7,248	8,343
Haddock	4	2,470	769	1,431	4,670	57	1,188	663	1,908	120	3,417	25,640	29,177
Saithe	4, 3.a	988	4,568	9,055	14,610	146	16,966	15,543	32,656	0	1,841	8,058	9,899
Whiting	4	1,272	150	813	2,235	259	133	34	425	141	497	7,656	8,294
Plaice	4	6,508	324	500	7,332	1	29	-	30	1,222	67	519	1,808
Herring	4, 7.d	2,646	493	159,678	162,817	376	100,150	16,074	116,600	4		75,216	75,220

[6]  Some figures may not add up due to rounding. 
[7]  Aggregated catch data based on landed weight – January – 31 October.
[8]  Landing notes – January – 31 October.
[9]  Landing declarations – January – 31 October.

Annex I

Conditions for fisheries by the Parties in 2026

I. Joint stocks

1. The Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for the stocks mentioned in Table 1 for 2026 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, except herring (for herring, see Annex VI) , 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.

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. 

Operation of the scheme for all jointly managed stocks

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.

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	Coordinates	Time period	Additional Comment
1	Stanhope ground	60° 25N - 001° 45E 60° 25N - 002° 00E  60° 10N - 002° 00E  60° 10N - 001° 45E	01 January to 30 April
2	Long Hole	59° 07.35N - 0° 31.04W  59° 03.60N - 0° 22.25W  58° 59.35N - 0° 17.85W  58° 56.00N - 0° 11.01W  58° 56.60N - 0° 08.85W  58° 59.86N - 0° 15.65W  59° 03.50N - 0° 20.00W  59° 08.15N - 0° 29.07W	01 January to 31 March
3	Coral edge	58° 51.70N - 03° 26.70E  58° 40.66N - 03° 34.60E  58° 24 00N - 03° 12.40E  58° 24 00N - 02° 55.00E  58° 35 65N - 02° 56.30E	01 December to 28 February
4	Papa Bank	59° 56N - 03° 08W  59° 56N - 02° 45W  59° 35N - 03° 15W  59° 35N - 03° 35W	01 January to 15 March
5a	Foula Deeps	60° 17.5N - 01° 45W  60° 11.0N - 01° 45W  60° 11.0N - 02° 10W  60° 20.0N - 02° 00W  60° 20.0N - 01° 50W	01 November to 31 December
5b	Foula Deeps	60° 21N 02° 05W  60° 22N 02° 27W  60° 06N 02° 27W  60° 06N 02° 05W	01 January to 15 March
6	Egersund Bank	58° 07.40N - 04° 33.0E  57° 53.00N - 05° 12.0E  57° 40.00N - 05° 10.9E  57° 57.90N - 04° 31.9E	01 December to 31 March	(10 x 25 nm)
7	East of Fair Isle	59° 40N - 01° 23W  59° 40N - 01° 13W  59° 30N - 01° 20W  59° 00N - 01° 20W  59° 00N - 01° 40W  59° 10N - 01° 40W  59° 10N - 01° 28W  59° 30N - 01° 28W  59° 40N - 01° 23W	01 January to 15 March
8	West Bank	57° 15N - 05° 01E  56° 56N - 05° 00E  56° 56N - 06° 20E  57° 15N - 06° 20E	01 January to 15 March	(18 x 4 nm)
9	Revet	57° 28.43N - 08° 05.66E   57° 27.44N - 08° 07.20E   57° 51.77N - 09° 26.33E   57° 52.88N - 09° 25.00E	01 January to 15 March	(1.5 x 49 nm)
10	Rabarberen	57° 47.00N - 11° 04.00E  57° 43.00N - 11° 04.00E  57° 43.00N - 11° 09.00E   57° 47.00N - 11° 09.00E	01 January to 15 March	East of Skagen  (2.7x4 nm)
11	Krogbund	56° 56N - 006° 25E  56° 47N - 006° 25E  56° 47N - 006° 55E  56° 56N - 006° 55E	1 January to 31 March
12	Lille Fiskerbanke	56° 50N - 006° 08E  56° 50N - 005° 52E  56° 38N - 005° 52E  56° 38N - 006° 08E	1 January to 31 March

Annex IV

Please refer to the separate PDF of the technical annexes published alongside this agreed record

Annex V

Terms of reference for a working group on the technical management of northern shelf cod (gadus morhua) in subarea 4, divisions 6a and 7d and subdivision 20 (North Sea, West of Scotland, Eastern English Channel, and Skagerrak)

The objective of the working group is to provide an overview of the current spatial, seasonal, and technical measures that promotes the sustainable management of the Northern Shelf cod stock and to identify the potential effects of such measures. This will include a focus on possible improvements or modifications to such measures that could provide additional protection to the sub-stocks identified by ICES and that will reduce discarding. These measures should be developed with due regard to the level of mixing between the sub-stocks.

The Northern Shelf Cod Management Working Group should: 

1. Exchange experiences and work collaboratively to build a shared understanding of existing management across the area. 

2. Produce a shared report which details existing management measures with a focus on operational and technical measures, in a format which is clear and transparent to all parties. This report shall also include a shared understanding of where and when Northern Shelf cod are caught, including historic catches, and by which fisheries and country. The report should be presented to the three parties by February 2025.

3. Identify evidence gaps which, if filled, could provide necessary evidence to support the development of management measures.

4. Use the above report to identify the potential effects of existing measures such as: 

• spatial measures, including real-time closures
• seasonal closures  
• gear selectivity measures
• reporting requirements.

5. During 2026, the Working Group should complete:

• outstanding analytical tasks, specifically effort assessments for fleet segments
• a review of the existing RTC regimes 
• a review of other spatial measures, including seasonal closures
• a review of gear selectivity measures.

Actions a, b and c shall be delivered at the intersessional meeting. By the end of 2026, the group shall aim to complete all above actions and present suggested improvements to the existing measures for Parties to consider implementing.

6. Develop a longer-term plan for the joint management of Northern Shelf cod that incorporates the Working Group’s findings above and establishes a clear, evidence based pathway for management improvements, such as reduced discarding. The plan shall incorporate the following:

• actions Parties agreed to undertake in 2026; 
• identification of joint aims and milestones; 
• expected scientific outputs and/or timelines for further scientific requests;
• each Party's timeline for implementation of improvements to existing measures, as outlined above; 
• an overview of future measures individual Parties plan to implement which are expected to promote sustainable cod management, including measures to reduce discarding;
• actions required to progress an LTMS for cod;
• methods to monitor and evaluate whether the plan is working. 

The Working Group shall present the plan to the three Parties for agreement at the trilateral intersessional meeting in 2026.

7. The group should involve members of the North Sea Monitoring Control and Surveillance Working Group, where required, to ensure join-up between the groups.    

Annex VI

Long-term management strategy for herring in the North Sea, Eastern English Channel, Skagerrak and Kattegat

The parties agree to implement a management strategy for the North Sea, eastern English Channel, Skagerrak and Kattegat herring, which is consistent with a precautionary approach and designed to maximise yield, minimise risk of the stock falling below Blim and achieve stability of catches.

The strategy shall consist of the following elements:

1. SSB in this management strategy refer to the spawning stock biomass at spawning time in the year for which the TAC is to be set.

2. Where the SSB at spawning time in the year for which the TAC is to be set is estimated to be above 1,000,000 tonnes (Btrigger) the Parties agreed to restrict their fishing on the basis of a TAC consistent with a fishing mortality rate of no more than 0.23 (Ftarget) for appropriate age groups.

3. Where the SSB at spawning time in the year for which the TAC is to be set is estimated to be at or below 1,000,000 tonnes the TAC shall not exceed a level which will result in a fishing mortality rate equal to 0.23*SSB/Btrigger.

4. If the rule in paragraph 2 would lead to a TAC that deviates more than 25% up or 20% down from the preceding year, the Parties shall fix a TAC limiting the change to 25% up or 20% down. The TAC constraint mechanism shall not apply when the SSB at spawning time in the year for which the TAC is to be set is estimated to be at or below Btrigger.

5. The TAC given by paragraphs 2 and 4 can be deviated from by up to 10% by transferring or borrowing from the following year’s quota according to the inter-annual quota flexibility scheme. The operation of this scheme is described in Annex II. The inter-annual flexibility scheme shall not apply when the SSB at spawning time in the year for which the TAC is to be set is estimated to be at or below Btrigger.

6. The Parties committed to submit a special request to ICES in early 2026 to request that ICES identifies, within the first year of the adoption of the LTMS, the exceptional circumstances under which managers should consider reviewing and/or suspending the LTMS. The Parties further committed to request that ICES consult with managers if such circumstances are triggered, in which case the Parties would agree next steps.

7. A review of this arrangement shall take place no later than 31 December 2035.

This arrangement shall enter into force on 1 January 2026.

Annex VII

Joint request to ICES regarding genetic work on Northern shelf cod sub-stocks

Request from	Joint EU/Norway/UK request
Committee making the request
Contact within organisation	Colin Faulkner (Colin.Faulkner@defra.gov.uk)
Content contact person
Request announced	8 January 2024
Request received	8 January 2024
Outcome of request required by client	The outcome of this request is to provide data that supports ICES in providing the area-specific catch advice of the Northern Shelf complex. This should include a comprehensive experimental design including a sampling protocol and methodological specifications for the genetic analysis of the Northern Shelf cod stock complex.   Subject to the findings of the research, the outcome of this request should aim to provide data that supports ICES in providing advice for the three sub-stocks separately.
Request code (client)
Request code (ICES)	[completed by ICES]
Details of request
Request from Norway, UK and EU regarding genetic work on Northern Shelf Cod sub-stocks   The Northern Shelf cod advice from ICES11 establishes a new stock definition merging West of Scotland cod with North Sea cod making a single assessment unit with three sub-stocks: Northwestern, Viking and Southern. The advice stated that ICES is not in a position to provide area-specific catch advice without additional genetic data sampled routinely from both commercial fisheries and scientific surveys.   The Norwegian, UK and EU Delegations consequently agreed that the way forward in the management of these stocks would include additional sampling of genetic and other data sources and the exchange of information regarding ongoing relevant research on the topic. Moreover, the Delegations recommended that this workstream should be taken forward as a priority and agreed that they would approach ICES for guidance. Hence, ICES, as the coordinating body, is requested to provide guidance for the area-specific catch advice of the Northern Shelf complex. This should include a comprehensive experimental design aimed at enhancing understanding of sub-stock dynamics, especially stock-mixing throughout the year and including a sampling protocol and methodological specifications for the genetic analysis and related data for the Northern Shelf cod stock complex, which the Parties could implement as a priority.
Intended use of the request output	Subject to the findings of the research, the outcome of this request should aim to provide data that supports ICES in providing advice for the three sub-stocks separately.
Planning ICES	This planning is towards an operational (area-based) advice for Northern shelf cod. A comprehensive genetic sampling methodology for Northern shelf cod cannot be delivered promptly. However, after consultation with the experts, ICES is in a position to propose the following process towards guiding the area-specific catch advice:  ICES suggests a process consisting of two workshops:  A broader/scoping workshop focusing on the understanding of sub-stock dynamics, especially stock-mixing throughout the year and how this can be integrated into potential stock assessment models, enabling provision of advice which can guide area-specific management. This first workshop will outline which genetic data and other data sources would be needed to inform stock-assessment and the tempo-spatial resolution needed for Northern Shelf cod. The workshop will as well evaluate existing sampling data on genetics for the Northern Shelf cod stock complex and work on standardization and harmonization procedures.  The results from the workshop will be shared with several ICES working groups focused on the application of genetics in fisheries management (WGAGFA, SIMWG, others) as well as the EOSG and WGNSSK to further specify the ToRs for the second workshop, combining the data needs with survey methodology. ICES will draft and execute the database infrastructure needed based on these discussions, by creating the format, exerting quality assurance and checks, providing data download, as well as linking the data to existing ICES databases. This will then be fed into the second workshop subsequent to an ACOM review of the workshop outcome.  The second workshop will further establish the specific sampling protocols as well as the methodology recommended for working with genetic data. The output will be a report including a survey manual, providing an experimental design, including a detailed sampling protocol and methodological specifications, for genetic analysis of the Northern Shelf cod stock complex providing data applicable to the stock assessment of this stock complex.  There is a need for having established a genetic baseline for the Southern component that will inform whether Northern and Southern populations can be separated genetically and at what resolution prior to the workshop as this will have implications in sampling design due to uncertainty in the range of difference between the sub-stocks. This information will be available from the GenDC project by mid-2025 at the earliest. ICES is subcontracted for an EU- funded project (GenDC, EMFAF-2023-PIA-FisheriesScientificAdvice) to develop new standardized sampling protocols and procedures for integrating genetic data with stock assessment and existing databases to strengthen the implementation of the CFP.   Timeline:  WK1; Winter 2025  WK2; May 2025
Request (budget) accepted	[completed by ICES]
ICES contact person	Lara Salvany (lara.salvan@ices.dk) and Cecilia Kvaavik (cecilia.kvaavik@ices.dk)
WG(s) involved	WGNSSK, WGAGFA, SIMWG, EOSG groups
Preparation timing	[completed by ICES]
Review group	[completed by ICES]
Advice drafting group	[completed by ICES]
ACOM Web-conference	[completed by ICES]
Release date	End of June 2025

Annex VIII

Terms of reference (TOR) for the 2026-2027 North Sea monitoring, control and surveillance working group

The objective of the NS MCS WG (‘WG’) is to enhance cooperation, develop best practices and measures related to the control of joint stocks in the North Sea and recommend, as appropriate, harmonised practices or joint measures for consideration of implementation by the Parties. This effort should be based on the WG's 2019-2024 report, delivered in June 2024. The group’s objective should also include improving operational information exchange and cooperation on topics that lead to more effective MCS.

The scope of the WG covers fisheries with catches and bycatches of cod, haddock, saithe, whiting, plaice and herring in the North Sea. North Sea herring is covered by any relevant measures concluded for the 4 pelagic species covered by Coastal States MCS Stand-Alone agreement on these stocks. The WG may agree to cover other stocks.

The WG should:

1. Take note of the best practice and measures outlined in the 2019-2024 WG report, in particular for:

• risk assessment data sharing
• weighing and catch registration requirements
• at sea inspections
• port inspections
• post-landing inspections

Consider and elaborate on how practices and measures could be actioned. As appropriate, recommend practices and measures from this WG report suited for joint implementation by the Parties and how they could be implemented.

2. Exchange experience and recommend best practice and MCS methodologies to control illegal discards and misreporting of discards. 

3. Exchange experience and recommend best practice and MCS methodologies to control accurate weighing and catch registration of bycatches of jointly managed stocks.

4. Discuss the strategic and operational uses of enhanced Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) as relating to fisheries control.

5. Consider joint training events or workshops.

6. Conduct observer missions relating to the tasks above based on defined tasks, a specified operational need and equal commitment to host these exchanges by all Parties. Reports from observer missions should be written using agreed reporting templates and defined tasks.

7. The WG should also exchange expertise among members, discuss and map any additional best practice and measures or, if appropriate, discuss adapting existing ones in relation to cod-related fisheries. Taking note of the work of the cod management WG, the MCS WG should consider best practice and measures that may enhance or complement any possible future management measures.

8. Exchange contextual information regarding the legal and organisational framework that impacts MCS operational actions in the Parties. This information may include:

• relevant MCS legislation
• control assets (resources, tools, technologies)
• contextual factors such as relevant MCS geography, fishing activities, or sales mechanisms

The information should be concise and complement existing mapping. A summary of the mapping will be presented to the group and added to the report.

If there are any other relevant issues, which the WG agree would result in a more efficient MCS of fisheries in the scope of the WG, the WG may explore these, as appropriate.

Organisational framework for the working group

1. The WG should organise its work in an appropriate manner, such as providing appropriate expertise. Members in their role as MCS experts shall provide the best possible professional advice on relevant MCS measures to be discussed in the WG. The WG may also rely on the assistance of experts in the fields relating to the tasks described above. 

2. The WG should hold a planning meeting as soon as possible and produce its report no later than 30 days before the annual consultations. 
3. The WG procedures will include that:
   • the WG should set an agenda based on the topics referred to in this ToR, including a timeline, and assign hosts for the different meetings. The host participant should suggest the chair for the meeting they are hosting. 
   • the WG will hold at least 2 meetings a year in addition to the planning meeting.
   • before each meeting, the Parties shall inform each other, through the designated contact points, of the intended composition of the delegations.
   • a draft agenda is drawn up by the host Party and transmitted to the other Parties 2 weeks in advance for comments in advance of the meeting. 
   • a draft report should be prepared by the host Party following each meeting, with the host acting as rapporteur. At each meeting, the host is responsible for compiling and submitting a draft report based on the outcomes of the meeting within 3 weeks of the meeting. This draft will serve as the basis for an ongoing process of review and revision, incorporating reflections and decisions from the entire series of meetings.
   • the draft report will be open for comments for 3 weeks before being handed over to the next host.
   • the WG report(s) will be considered final and adopted in the absence of objections, provided that no requests for additional amendments are received by the end of the comment period.

Annex IX

Tentative work plan of the North Sea monitoring, control and surveillance working group 2026-2027

Task	2026	2027
1. Consider and elaborate how best practices and measures in 2019-2024 report can be actioned. Recommend best practice and measures, as appropriate.	Review the report, identify which best practice and measures could be recommended. Consider and elaborate how best practice and measures can be actioned. Report recommendations in draft report.	Recommend best practice and measures, as appropriate. Report recommendations in final report.
2. Exchange experience and recommend best practice and MCS methodologies to control illegal discards and misreporting of discards	Exchange experience, map current measures and practice. Report mapping in the draft report.	Recommend best practice and MCS methodologies. Report recommendations in final report.
3. Exchange experience and recommend best practice and MCS methodologies to control accurate weighing and catch registration of bycatches of jointly managed stocks	Exchange experience, map current measures and practises. Report mapping in the draft report.	Recommend best practice and MCS methodologies. Report recommendations in final report.
4. Discuss the strategic and operational uses of enhanced Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) as relating to fisheries control.	Discuss the strategic and operational uses of enhanced Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) as relating to fisheries control. Record discussions in draft report.
5. Consider joint training events or workshops;	TBD – Consider joint training event or workshop on tasks 2, 3 and 7. A report of the findings from training or workshops to be produced and shared within the Working Group and annexed in the draft report.	TBD - Consider joint training event or workshop on tasks 2, 3 and 7. A report of the findings from training or workshops to be produced and shared within the Working Group and annexed in the final report.
6. Observer missions	TBD – Consider observer missions on tasks 2, 3 and 7. Agreed templates to be completed by observers and fed back to the Working Group. Reports to be annexed in the draft report.	TBD – Consider observer missions on tasks 2, 3 and 7. Agreed templates to be completed by observers and fed back to the Working Group. Reports to be annexed in the draft report.
7. Exchange expertise among members, discuss and map any additional best practice and measures or, if appropriate, discuss adapting existing ones in relation to cod-related fisheries. Taking note of the work of the cod management WG, the MCS WG should consider best practices and measures that may enhance or complement any possible future management measures.	Exchange experience, map current measures and practise. Report mapping in the draft report.	Recommend best practice and MCS methodologies. Report recommendations in final report.
8. Exchange contextual information regarding the legal and organisational framework that impacts MCS operational actions in the Parties.	Exchange and report framework in draft report

Annex X

Terms of reference for a working group on electronic exchange of data for 2025-2026

The Delegations agreed that the Working Group on Electronic Exchange of data should meet as appropriate in 2025 and 2026 under the Terms of Reference described below. The necessary technical scoping exercises can be conducted within the same Terms of Reference before the Working Group meets. 

The Working Group shall seek to identify suitable technical arrangements for electronic exchange of data based on the United Nations Fisheries Language for Universal Exchange (UN/FLUX) standard.

The Working Group will:

1. Establish templates (i.e. common principles) for electronic exchange of notification and authorisation data with the intention to revise the current bilateral arrangements between the Parties. 
2. Establish templates (i.e. common principles) for electronic exchange of fishing activities data (ERS) with the intention to revise the current bilateral arrangements between the Parties. Furthermore, identify additional reporting needs, any outstanding issues and elements that can improve performance of the current bilateral systems for electronic exchange of fishing activities data (ERS). Establish technical procedures and specifications which the parties could use to implement, the possibility to pull data covering fishing activities conducted before, during and after exiting the waters of the other Party, from port to port. Establish improved technical procedures to deliver RET messages directly to the fishing vessels to secure satisfactory exchange and increased quality of fishing activities data. 
3. To ensure the timely, continuous, and accurate transmission of VMS data for effective monitoring and control, the Working Group will provide updates on any anticipated changes to the respective legal requirements of the Parties and consider the associated technical implementation.

Organisational framework for the working group

1.  The WG procedures will include that:
   • the WG should set an agenda based on the topics referred to in this ToR, including a timeline, and assign hosts for the different meetings. The host participant should suggest the chair for the meeting they are hosting
   • the WG will hold at least 2 meetings a year in addition to the planning meeting
   • a draft agenda is drawn up by the host Party and transmitted to the other Parties 2 weeks in advance for comments in advance of the meeting
   • a draft report should be prepared by the host Party following each meeting, with the host acting as rapporteur. At each meeting, the host is responsible for compiling and submitting a draft report based on the outcomes of the meeting within 3 weeks of the meeting. This draft will serve as the basis for an ongoing process of review and revision, incorporating reflections and decisions from the entire series of meetings
   • the draft report will be open for comments for 3 weeks before being handed over to the next host
   • the WG report(s) will be considered final and adopted in the absence of objections, provided that no requests for additional amendments are received by the end of the comment period

The Working Group should submit its report to the Parties well in advance of the annual consultations for 2027. Reports from possible technical scoping exercises should also be submitted to the Parties well in advance of the annual consultations for 2027.

Annex XI

Tentative work plan of the data exchange working group

Task	Reason for doing this as per the Agreed Record	Progress anticipated in 02/2026 meeting	Progress anticipated in potential 2nd 2026 meeting	Milestone One i.e. Date for testing	Milestone Two i.e. Date of start of exchanging	Milestone Three i.e. Closure of previous exchange mechanism
Agreed Record of Conclusions of Fisheries Consultations between Norway and the European Union on Electronic Exchange of Fishing activity data	Formalising the agreement	Discuss last open points in the text	Agree on final text and sign AR
Agreed Record on Vessel and Authorisation data exchange	Formalising the agreement	Agree on final text and sign AR
Implementation document for Fishing Activities data exchange	Technical specifications are necessary for the implementation of the agreement.		Continue to work on the text.	01/06/2027	01/01/2028
Annex 1	Technical specifications are necessary for the implementation of the agreement.	Agreement on final text
Implementation Document for Vessel data exchange.	Technical specifications are necessary for the implementation of the agreement.		Agreement on final text	Different dates for testing and going live required bilaterally.	Dates unknown but the end of the transition period would be when EU-NOR, EU-UK and UK-NOR are all using FLUX.
Implementation Document for Authorisation data exchange.	Technical specifications are necessary for the implementation of the agreement.		Start discussion on text	TBC	TBC	TBC