Agreement on Fishing Opportunities in 2026

Every December, the EU makes agreements on how much fish the various member states may catch in European seas in the coming year, the so-called fishing quotas. The EU also concludes separate agreements with third countries (countries outside the EU) about fishing opportunities and, for example, access to each others waters.

For the Dutch fishing sector, important fish stocks include sole, mackerel, sea bass, herring, and horse mackerel. Some fish stocks are healthy enough that fishing opportunities will increase next year. Examples include sole and sea bass. At the same time, some fish stocks have been reduced, such as herring, cod, and mackerel.

State Secretary Jean Rummenie of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN): The decline of pelagic stocks will hit our fishermen hard. At the same time, I am pleased that there is an agreement on the fishing opportunities for 2026. Some fish stocks, such as sole and sea bass, show a significant increase. Although the discussions were tough, we have managed to prioritize the interests of the Netherlands in Europe. That makes us proud of this result.

This year, the pelagic sector is facing worrying declines in some stocks such as mackerel and blue whiting. No agreement has yet been reached on mackerel quotas for 2026 with the involved coastal states (United Kingdom, Norway, Faroe Islands, and Iceland). The Council has decided to set a temporary quota for this stock based on scientific advice. This allows EU fishermen to fish in the new year.

Another important point at this Council, which the State Secretary advocated for, is the non-allocation of the so-called Hague preferences, which allowed Irish fishermen to catch more fish at the expense of other EU countries. Given the declining pelagic stocks, this would have hit other European fishermen even harder. Therefore, several countries, including the Netherlands, have struck through these preferences.

An agreement has been reached on a new allocation key for North Sea herring between the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Norway. Next year, 20% less herring may be caught in the North Sea and the Skagerrak. This decrease could have been greater, but new long-term agreements between the countries have mitigated the decline.

The quota for sole will increase by 25% next year compared to 2025 for Dutch fishermen. In 2024, this sector faced a significant decrease with major financial consequences for these fishermen. In 2025, much more sole was already allowed to be caught, and based on scientific advice, the stock will increase again for 2026.

A compromise has been reached between the United Kingdom and the European Union regarding sea bass. The commercial fleet may catch significantly more fish. At the same time, recreational sea fishing is allowed to take home 3 fish per day instead of the current 2. This allows all forms of fishing to benefit from a higher catch limit.

The quota for North Sea cod will decrease by 44%. This is necessary because this stock is in a worrying state. At the same time, the rules for real-time closures (RTC) for cod are being tightened. These rules allow certain areas to be temporarily closed if too many undersized fish are caught.

Every December, the European fisheries ministers and the European Commission decide on the total catch amounts for the coming year. The EUs position – and that of the Netherlands – is that fishing opportunities are based on multiannual management plans and scientific advice from ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea). ICES assesses how much fish from a stock can be caught without depleting it. Based on this, the so-called Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is negotiated per stock. It is then determined how much a member state may catch, the quota. The outcomes of the negotiations are established by the European Council of Fisheries Ministers. The quotas for individual fishermen are then derived from the total catch amounts using a fixed allocation key. The outcomes of the negotiations for the Netherlands are converted into national regulations. These are published before January 1. From the start of the new year, fishermen can then use the new fishing opportunities.