Handling thousands of tons of fish every year, Britain’s fishing industry is one of Europe’s most important and complex on the continent. Now the UK have concluded talks surrounding a new 2024 deal that allows British fishermen to harvest 30,000 tons of whitefish stock from Norwegian waters, among other stock transfers detailed below.
The 30,000-Ton Whitefish Deal
This new deal was solidified during the annual fisheries negotiations, where both countries renewed their commitment to a 30,000-ton whitefish access agreement that was first drafted in 2022. In the fishery business, whitefish stocks include cod, haddock, and halibut, all widely consumed in Northwestern Europe.
Fishing is incredibly important for the economies of nations adjacent to the Atlantic and North Seas. It is also culturally significant for the coastal regions that rely on the fishery trade and is widely enjoyed as a sport by their citizens. Fishing is so ubiquitous that unrelated industries, including entertainment industries online like iGaming, create games about angling for tasty fish. While those interested in angling can play Big Bass Splash, which is about fly fishing with bait and a reel-activated rod, the countries of Europe are more concerned with large-scale trawling operations that cover hundreds of miles of ocean. Those oceans belong to foreign powers, which is why fishing agreements are necessary to keep all parties satisfied.
The renewed whitefish deal is good news for Scottish fisheries in particular – those who will be on the frontline when it’s time to scour the North Sea. This deal is just part of a larger strategy by the UK government, which secured almost £1 billion in funding for fishing opportunities in the coming year.
Other Negotiation Developments
While the 30,000-ton whitefish stock agreement is the main part of the deal, other limits and stock transfers were agreed upon in the 2023 negotiations. For example, whitefish vessels will gain a quota transfer that includes 700 tons of monkfish. In return, the UK is transferring 2,100 tons of pre-existing whitefish quota to Norwegian vessels. Smaller quantities of ling and tusk rights were also exchanged.
The second-largest part of the deal was all about herring – a historic favorite of Norway and other Scandinavian countries. Herring is harvested by pelagic vessels that use nets when trawling through waters. As part of this deal, British vessels can access 20,000 tons of herring from Norwegian waters during springtime. In return, Norwegian vessels can take the same amount of herring from the North Sea, during autumn.
Speaking for the largest fishing association in Europe, Mike Park of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association voiced his support for these developments. He said “it’s right that we each have that access. Catches in each other’s zone have been pretty much balanced this year, with us both taking out the same sort of levels of fish.”
He also highlighted that the 700 tons of monkfish stock, while comparatively small, is a pressure species for the British fishing industry. That means demand is increasing for the species, with available fishing stock limited to avoid overfishing. Other pressure species include the Big Five which take up 80% of consumed fish in Britain – cod, haddock, salmon, tuna, and prawns.
As 2024 continues, the UK government will likely turn its £1 billion war chest toward other fishing initiatives. The next annual fisheries negotiation between the UK and EU member states will take place in the winter of 2025.
