United Kingdom and Faroe Islands fisheries consultations: agreed record for 2026

Monitoring, control and surveillance

10.1 The Delegations recognised the importance of cooperation in regard to the monitoring, control and surveillance measures that are stipulated in the Technical Annexes. They acknowledged that there are significant benefits for both sides in sharing relevant information and intelligence and in enhancing co-operation in areas of mutual interest.  

10.2 The Delegations decided to strive to meet as required during 2026 to discuss relevant topics and evaluate the cooperation regarding the Special Area. 

10.3 The Delegations noted the good cooperation this year in implementing the relevant technical arrangements that apply to vessels fishing in the waters of the other Party, as set out in the Technical Annexes. They further decided that, as those measures have shown themselves to be effective during 2025, only minimal revision was required for the 2026 Technical Annexes. The Delegations agreed to publish the 2026 Technical Annexes in a separate document alongside this Agreed Record. 

10.4 The Delegations agreed to establish a joint Compliance Forum within the framework of their bilateral arrangements on Monitoring, Control and Surveillance. The Compliance Forum would be tasked with strengthening those bilateral arrangements and with facilitating joint efforts on relevant issues, such as strategic and operational risk-management (risk-assessment, risk handling and evaluation) and information-sharing. The Delegations agreed that members of the forum should work together closely to ensure that the incidental by-catch of non-target species in UK waters was minimised to the greatest extent possible. The forum should intend to meet in person or virtually once in 2026 and consider if this meeting can be scheduled alongside other meetings to best utilise resources. The forum should provide to the Delegations an update on its work including any potential policy proposals on Monitoring, Control and Surveillance measures well in advance of their bilateral consultations for 2027.

10.5 The UK Delegation shared information with the Faroe Islands Delegation about the implementation of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) on pelagic vessels in the UK. Any relevant pelagic vessels fishing in Scottish waters will be required to have a fully installed and operational REM system onboard that meets the Scottish Government’s technical specifications from 7 March 2026. Relevant vessels should contact the Scottish Government’s Fully Documented Fisheries Unit (FDF@gov.scot) as soon as possible to get their REM system validated and to arrange a system test trip.