Following two days of talks, EU fisheries ministers hammered out political agreement Wednesday on 2025 fishing quotas in the Atlantic, the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Black Seas.
The deal sets out fish catch limits, also known as ‘total allowable catches’ (TACs), and fishing effort limits for the most important commercial fish stocks. The fishing effort refers to the size and engine power of a vessel combined with the number of days spent fishing.
The stocks covered by the two proposals are those that the EU manages either on its own, jointly with neighbouring non-EU countries, or via agreements reached in regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs).
Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, fish stocks jointly managed by the EU and the UK are considered shared resources under international law. In line with the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, both parties hold annual talks to agree on catch limits for shared stocks.
These talks were successfully concluded, and today’s political agreement integrates the outcome of the EU-UK deal into the main regulation for the Atlantic and North Sea.
Bilateral consultations with Norway and trilateral consultations on shared stocks between the EU, the UK and Norway were also successfully concluded ahead of the Council meeting.
For the Atlantic and the North Sea, following positive scientific advice and the improved state of the stocks, ministers agreed to increase the catch limits for the following stocks: megrims (23%) and anglerfish (17%) in Atlantic Iberian waters; common sole in the Bay of Biscay (1%); Norway lobster in the southern Bay of Biscay and Cantabrian Sea (134%).
To safeguard stocks, in line with scientific advice, while looking for a balance with socioeconomic considerations, ministers agreed to reduce catch limits for: cod in the Kattegat by 17% – this applies for 2025 and 2026 and is only allowed for by-catches; red seabream in Iberian waters by 62% – also a multiannual TAC for 2025 and 2026; Norway lobster in the Bay of Biscay 39%; common sole in area 3a by 36%.
For hake in Atlantic Iberian waters and plaice in the Kattegat, the Council agreed to maintain the same catch limits as for 2024.
Given the continued critical state of European eel, the Council decided to continue the six-month closure period for any commercial eel fishing activities, with certain exemptions already agreed for 2023 and 2024, and to keep prohibiting recreational fisheries.
For the western Mediterranean, ministers agreed to reduce fishing efforts for trawlers by 66% in Spanish and French waters and by 38% in French and Italian waters to protect demersal stocks, while also considering the socioeconomic impact on the fleets.
This reduction is in line with the objectives of the Western Mediterranean Multi-Annual Plan (MAP) for demersal stocks, which will enter its permanent phase on 1 January 2025, after a five-year transitional period. During the permanent phase of the Western Mediterranean MAP, maximum sustainable yield (MSY) ranges will apply. Fishing at MSY levels means catching the maximum proportion of a fish stock that can safely be removed from the stock while at the same time, maintaining its capacity to produce maximum sustainable returns in the long term.
In addition, ministers agreed to continue the use of the compensation mechanism that was established for the first time for 2022, allocating additional days to trawlers that opt for more selective gear or that are covered by a national conservation measure, as an incentive to increase the protection of the stock.
Combined, the measures agreed by the Council will help contribute to reducing fishing mortality, while also minimising the socioeconomic impact on the sector.
Compared to 2024, the Council additionally agreed to reduce the maximum catch limits for blue and red shrimp in Spanish and French waters by 10% and by 6% in Italian and French waters. For giant red shrimp, it agreed to reduce the catch limits by 6% in comparison to 2024 in Italian and French waters.
In the Black Sea, the Council agreed to increase the TAC by 3.85% compared to 2024 in the case of turbot, which includes a carry-over of the unused EU turbot quota from 2023. It also agreed to maintain the closure period for turbot fishing from 15 April to 15 June.
For sprat, there has been a rollover compared to last year.
Total allowable catches for 2025 (table)
