European Union and the United Kingdom - fisheries consultations: written record 2022

Technical measures

a) The Delegations reconfirmed the observations and commitments made in paragraphs 12 of the 2021 Written Record.

b) The Delegations exchanged details of their respective technical measures, including remedial measures for depleted stocks, under consideration and/or expected to apply from 1 January 2022.

c) The Delegations exchanged this information with a view, where appropriate, to exploring opportunities for enhancing compatibility between the measures applied in their respective waters. These exchanges were without prejudice to the obligations of each Party under Article 496(3) TCA.

d) The Delegations reconfirmed the commitments in paragraph 12(b) to (d) of the 2021 Written Record for discussions in the SCF, and committed to seek to agree the timetable as referred to in Paragraph 12(d) of that Record by 31 March 2022 to enable the elements described in that paragraph to be taken into account for TAC setting for 2023.

e) In addition, the Delegations committed to working through the SCF to identify and evaluate coordinated technical measures to reduce Celtic Sea cod catches with the aim of supporting the recovery of the stock. Consideration should be given to new and effective baseline selective gear measures in areas with the highest cod catches and abundance in UK and EU waters of the Celtic Sea, to be identified by 1 June 2022 with a view to their implementation as soon as possible in 2023.