Fishing vessel weekly licences: changes effective 26 December 2025

Economic link - updated licence condition

Producer Organisation/Non-Producer Organisation Group	Type of Licence	Licence conditions text amendment	Effective date
ALL 10 metre and over groups	AO	Updated licence conditions – economic link  9.1 This condition applies to any vessel whose total landings in a calendar year of herring; mackerel, Nephrops, haddock, monkfish, cod, hake and whiting combined amount to 10 or more tonnes. In these circumstances, the licence holder must ensure that there is a real economic link between the fishing activities of the vessel and Scotland. 9.2 A real economic link will be deemed to have been complied with in relation to fishing operations conducted between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026 if the following criteria are met: a) Landings of at least 55% by live weight of the vessel’s total annual landings (combined) of the specified demersal stocks covered by these provisions (Nephrops, haddock, monkfish, cod, hake and whiting) are made directly into Scottish ports, and separately; b) Pelagic species (per species thresholds). For each species separately: (i) at least seventy per cent (70%) by live weight of the vessel’s total annual landings of mackerel) are made directly into Scottish ports; and (ii) at least seventy per cent (70%) by live weight of the vessel’s total annual landings of herring are made directly into Scottish ports, or; c) Transfer of Quotas ("Quota Gifting") The licence holder transfers to the Scottish Government fishing opportunities for quota species equivalent to 26 per cent of monetary value of the shortfall in landings of quota species that would result in compliance with condition(s) 9.2 (a) & (b) above. 9.3 The licence holder must demonstrate compliance to the satisfaction of the Scottish Ministers through statutory landing declarations and sales notes, and must provide any additional information reasonably required by the Scottish Ministers for verification.	00:01 hours on 1 January 2026

Guidance: Amendments to Scottish Economic Link Licences

January 2025 saw amendments to the economic licence conditions to the current levels aimed at increasing landings of eight key species into Scotland.  The landing percentages have been kept under review with further consultation and engagement undertaken with stakeholders in the latter half of this year.

Following scientific advice linked with international negotiations between coastal states, significant Total Allowable Catch (TAC) reductions for mackerel and herring are to be implemented in 2026.  The reductions are designed to protect the sustainability of these pelagic stocks and ensure continuity of supply of this natural resource for our domestic fishing and processing industry.

Amended economic link licence conditions are going to come into effect from 1 January 2026. Any vessel over 10 metres in length making landings outside of Scotland should be aware of the changes below. 

What are Economic Link arrangements 

Since 1999, all commercial fishing vessels over 10 metres in length, landing certain species have been required to meet specific requirements to show that the vessel has an economic link to the United Kingdom.

 What are the key changes being introduced

To summarise economic link conditions that will apply from 1 January 2026: 

1. Only vessels with a registered length of over 10 metres will be eligible for economic link arrangements.  
2. Economic link arrangements will cover the eight most important species, by landed value, into Scotland. These are – herring, mackerel, Nephrops, haddock, monkfish, cod, hake and whiting (“the 8 key species”) which account for 90% of the value of total landings by Scottish vessels of TAC stocks.                                                                            
3. Vessels over 10 metres in length will become eligible under the revised economic link criteria if they land more than 10 tonnes of the 8 key species (identified above) in any calendar year.
4. There will now only be two means of satisfying economic link requirements:

• Land the required tonnage into Scotland (see paragraphs 5. and 6. below.
• Provide quota ("quota gifts" to the Scottish Government (see paragraph 7. below) 

5. The required rate to satisfy the landings target will remain at 55% for demersal and shellfish stocks covered by the provision; 
6. The landings target rate for pelagic species (mackerel & herring) will each, individually, be increased to 70% from 1 January 2026. 
7. Further information on quota gifting is available in the September 2022 Consultation outcome report Consultation on proposals to amend the economic link licence condition: Outcome Report.

New fishing restrictions for Ray

Producer Organisation/Non-Producer Organisation Group	Type of Licence	Licence conditions	Effective date
10 Metre and Under – all sub-groups Over 10 Metre – all sub-groups	AO, AU, AUP	AO - Section 2 AU & AU Section 3 1. Fishing restrictions for Sandy Ray in VI and VII This licence does not authorise fishing for Sandy ray (Leucoraja circularis) in sea areas VI and VII (UK and EU waters). 2. Fishing restrictions for Small-eyed Ray in VIId and VIIe This licence does not authorise fishing for Small-eyed ray (Raja microocellata) in sea areas VIId and VIIe (UK and EU waters). 3. Fishing restrictions for Shagreen Ray in VI and VII This licence does not authorise fishing for Sandy ray (Raja fullonica) in sea area VIId (UK and EU waters). 4. Fishing restrictions for Shagreen Ray in VI and VII (excluding VIId) Notwithstanding any quota limitation detailed in the Annexes, the vessel to which this licence relates may retain on board and land Shagreen ray (Raja fullonica) caught in ICES divisions VI, VIIa-c and VIIe-k only insofar as such catches do not exceed 1 tonne per calendar month.	00:01 hrs on 1 January 2026

 

Closures & Change in limits

Group	Type of Licence	Reason	Species	Area of Sea	limit	Effective date
10 Metre and Under	AU	Closure	Mackerel	VI, VII, VIIIabde; EU and International Waters of Vb; International Waters of IIa, XII and XIV	N/A	23.59 hrs on 31 December 2025
Non-sector	AO	Closure	Mackerel	VI, VII, VIIIabde; EU and International Waters of Vb; International Waters of IIa, XII and XIV	N/A	23.59 hrs on 31 December 2025
10 Metre and Under	AU	Change in limit	Cod	IV; EU Waters of IIa	1 tonne per month	23.59 hrs on 31 December 2025
10 Metre and Under	AU	Change in limit	Saithe	IIIa and IV; EU Waters of IIa, IIIb, IIIc and Subdivisions 22-32	2 tonnes per quarter (Jan-Mar)	23.59 hrs on 31 December 2025

Fishing vessel quota limits tables: 2026 - 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.

Urgent Notice to Fishers

Fish, Trace, Ship Final Reminder – Be ready before 8 January

We are just days away from extensive new changes coming into effect that will impact all UK seafood exports and all sections of the supply chain including the catching sector.

From 10 January 2026, exporters together with the wider supply chain, will be required to provide additional information for seafood leaving the UK. 

As a licensed fisherman, these changes DO affect you unless you sell an exempt species.  If you have not done so already, we are now urgently advising you to ensure you are compliant with the new requirements by the 8 January in advance of the upcoming deadline. This ensures you or your business can continue to trade efficiently. 

You will also receive another version of this letter if you are a registered Fish Export Service user.  

Reminder: What is changing: 

These are the changes which may not all be relevant to you, but it is important you are aware of them.

• New data fields on Catch Certificates (including fishing trip start date, gear type, area fished, transport details).
• A new section to the Storage Document for you to provide details for the arrival of the fish produce to the UK will be released on November 20. The Storage Document will be renamed to Non-Manipulation Document in January 2026
• The requirement to produce a Processing Statement for any seafood processed on land in the UK, and new weights information for the Processing Statement.

The FES system has now been updated with changes required to comply with the new regulations when they come into force on 10 January. There will be one final update on 8 January to make it mandatory to provide this new information and to include this information on the UK documents.

If you land your catch and sell within the UK, you must pass on this additional information to the buyer so it can be passed through the supply chain.

If you land directly into a country that requires a catch certificate, including Northern Ireland for GB vessels, you must provide this additional information from January 2026.

These and more detail about all the changes can be viewed on our campaign site. Visit https://fishtraceship.campaign.gov.uk or use the QR code below and access links to Guidance, FAQs and engagement webinars.

We have also produced a new series of step-by-step videos to help guide you through the changes and created example labelling templates for each stage of the supply chain.

What do I need to do?

Please understand what is changing even if you think you are not directly affected as you may not be able to sell on your produce without the appropriate documentation information.

Unsubscribe?  

If you don’t want to hear more about FES, please email UKIUUSLO@marinemanagement.org.uk  to be removed from future mailings. 

NEW:

Labels – two label examples have been loaded up on to the FTS site – one under the Fishermen section and the other under Exporters.

Fishermen - Fish, Trace, Ship

Exporters - Fish, Trace, Ship

 Regular key links include:

• FAQs (including new and updated responses)
• Help videos - Fish, Trace, Ship
• Webinar recordings  

News & media outputs

Fish, Trace, Ship - Three weeks to go, UK seafood industry must be ready by 8 January - GOV.UK

 Coverage

New-seafood-export-rules-in-anticipation-of-more-stringent-eu-requirements

Prior Notification form: From 10 January 2026

If you’re landing in an EU member state or Northern Ireland, you need to complete this prior notification form

More information:  link here Guidance on exporting or moving fish from the UK - Prior notification

UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre (UKFMC)

The UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre opening hours during the forthcoming festive period will be as follows, with 24 hour coverage being scaled back from Monday 22nd December:

Day	Date	UKFMC open hours
Sunday	21/12/2025	Normal 24 hours
Monday	22/12/2025	00:00 - 22:30
Tuesday	23/12/2025	08:30 - 17:00
Wednesday	24/12/2025	08:30 - 17:00
Thursday	25/12/2025	Closed
Friday	26/12/2025	Closed
Saturday	27/12/2025	08:30 - 17:00
Sunday	28/12/2025	08:30 - 17:00
Monday	29/12/2025	08:30 - 17:00
Tuesday	30/12/2025	08:30 - 17:00
Wednesday	31/01/2025	08:30 - 17:00
Thursday	01/01/2026	Closed
Friday	02/01/2026	Normal 24 hours commencing 07:00

Throughout the festive period Port State Control and IUU obligations will be met on a 24/7 basis through electronic communications only. Out of hours support for critical service issues on the Fish Export Service will also be maintained