Fishing vessel weekly licence variations 04 April 2025

There are no new variations for this week.

Notice to Fishers

We are providing this update from the UK Fish Export Service to fishing vessel licence holders registered with the Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government.

We recently advised of changes to the EU’s Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing regulation. These new provisions, which include measures to support traceability of fish produce entering the common market, will be mandatory for all third countries from January 2026. You can read more about these changes in the EU’s frequently asked questions document.

While you may not export directly, much of the seafood caught by UK vessels is exported abroad with around 75% of this going to EU markets. This means these changes may impact you and your produce further down the supply chain.

Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the other UKFAs and CDs are still working to better understand these changes but it is clear that updated IUU documents being rolled out as part of the new EU regulation will require additional information beyond what you currently provide. This includes:

• Catch dates

You currently provide the landing date for the products that you sell that may be exported. The EU will also require a start date. The information exporters will need will be:

1. ‘Start’ date, defined as the date the vessel left port on the trip the fish was landed.
2. ‘End’ date, defined as the date the catch was landed (or the first day landing begins if this is not completed within a single day).

• Catch Area(s)

You will need to provide the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) the produce was caught from, where applicable.

You will also need to provide the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) where applicable. Discussions with the EU are ongoing to better understand this requirement.

• Fishing Gear(s)

You will need to provide the gear used to catch the produce.

What is next and how can you help?

MMO will be making changes to the Fish Export Service (FES) in the coming months to accommodate these changes. A phased roll-out will see additional fields added to the service incrementally to help exporters familiarise themselves with the new requirements. Consequently, to ensure a continued ability to export fish to the EU, we are asking you to begin sharing this information up the supply chain to whomever buys your catch, including merchants and exporters.

In the meantime, we will continue to engage one-to-one with fishers, merchants and exporters to better understand your processes, what these impending changes might mean for you and how we can best support you. We encourage you to have your say and help us shape the export process - if you are interested in taking part, please complete the sign-up form below (see link) to join our research panel. Our User Researcher will then contact you directly to arrange a research session:

Sign-up form

MMO and the other UKFAs and CDs are committed to working with the industry to help minimise any disruption or additional administrative burden and to ensure we are compliant with this revised regulation. We will be in touch again soon with further details, including a timeline for the impending FES updates.

Notify message to U12m licence holders

Commercial bluefin tuna fishery 2025 

On 20 March 2025, the MMO will open the application period for the 2025 commercial bluefin tuna (BFT) fishery. 

The UK has a quota allocation of 66 tonnes of bluefin tuna in 2025, from this, 45 tonnes will be used for the commercial fishery. MMO aim to issue licence authorisations for 15 commercial vessels with three tonnes of quota per vessel. The fishery will be open from 1 July to 31 December 2025.  

Applications can be submitted until midnight on the 21 April 2025. Please note applying does not allow you to fish for BFT. You may only fish if you are successful once you have an authorisation. 

You can read more and apply at Bluefin tuna (BFT) commercial fishery within UK waters guidance. 

Faroese Waters access 2025

The United Kingdom and Faroe Islands have now concluded consultations on fisheries arrangements for 2025 and the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA) will soon be able to license vessels under this agreement.

If you have access to fishing opportunities in Faroe Islands waters, you can apply using the application form below.

Please complete the application form and return it to UKSIA@marinemanagement.org.uk.

Applications received by 23 March 2025 will be prioritised for processing, any applications received after this date will still be processed but it may take longer for you to receive your licence. Please be aware that it may take up to 10 days to process any application made and you must not fish in Faroe Island’s waters until you have received a valid licence.

If you have any queries, please contact the UKSIA at UKSIA@marinemanagement.org.uk or call 02080265062, and check the UKSIA website regularly for any updates.

Remote Electronic Monitoring

Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) is now mandatory for any vessel dredging for scallops in Scottish waters, and for Scottish scallop dredge vessels wherever they are fishing. Read the Remote Electronic Monitoring guidance.

The legislation - The Sea Fisheries (Remote Electronic Monitoring and Regulation of Scallop Fishing) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 – also requires REM on relevant pelagic vessels from 7 March 2026. In order to prepare for the new rules coming into force, remote inspections and system test trips can be carried out from 7 September 2025.  Guidance on the pelagic vessel requirements will be published in due course.

Fishing vessel quota limits tables: 2025 - showing the quota limits applicable to 10m and under and over 10m non-sector vessels.

Fisheries closures table: 2025 showing all fisheries closures, by group, for Scottish fishing licences.