Management of shared fish stocks: coastal state agreed records 2023

On this page:

• agreed record between UK, EU, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Norway

• agreed record between UK and Norway

Agreed record of fisheries consultations between the United Kingdom, the European Union, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Norway on the management of mackerel in the north-east Atlantic for 2023 

London, 6 December 2022

1.    A delegation from the United Kingdom headed by Colin FAULKNER, a delegation from the European Union headed by Thomas BRÉGEON, a delegation from the Faroe Islands headed by Herluf SIGVALDSSON, a delegation from Greenland headed by Iben Funch DØJ, a delegation from Iceland headed by Áslaug Eir HÓLMGEIRSDÓTTIR, and a delegation from Norway headed by Ann Kristin WESTBERG, met in London on 17 October 2022 and on 5 and 6 December to consult on the management of mackerel in the North-East Atlantic for 2023.

2.    The delegations agreed that 782,066 tonnes should represent the level of catches for mackerel in the North-East Atlantic for 2023. 

3.    The delegations noted that they had conducted several rounds of consultations in 2022 to agree a new suite of management measures for the stock for 2023 and beyond, including a comprehensive, inclusive, and long-term quota-sharing arrangement, and a new long-term management strategy.  They agreed that concluding such arrangements was of the utmost importance, and that they should continue to work together intensively on these matters with the aim of reaching an agreement as soon as practicable.  

4.    They agreed that they would meet several times in February and March 2023 to take forward their consultations which would take place in London and Nuuk.  They further agreed on a hard deadline of 31 March 2023 for a final agreement.   

5.    The delegations agreed that the United Kingdom would continue to chair those consultations until 31 March given that they relate to fishing opportunities for 2023. 

6.    The delegations agreed that, in anticipation of agreeing a new suite of management measures, they would each initially set quotas for 2023 at levels which would contribute to a conducive environment for the conclusion of their consultations.  Delegations shall inform each other of the quotas they have set ahead of resuming those consultations.  

7.    The delegations welcomed the outcomes of the 2022 Working Group on the distribution of mackerel in the North-East Atlantic, and expressed their thanks to those involved.  They agreed that the Working Group should continue; that it should be co-chaired in 2023 by scientists from the UK and the Faroe Islands; and that it should update its report on a regular and timely basis. 

8.    The delegations exchanged final quota and catch information for 2021 as well as preliminary information for 2022. This information is provided in Annex I of this Agreed Record.

9.    The delegations agreed to continue to provide quota and catch information in the same format as set out in Annex I of this Agreed Record.  They also agreed to exchange information from 2022 and onwards regarding their fishing activities including exchanges and access provisions as outlined in Annex II of this Agreed Record.

10.    The delegations agreed that each Party shall by 1 May 2023 provide updated information on the issues set out in paragraph 9 of this Agreed Record to the chair of the annual consultations for 2024, and that the chair should forward that information as soon as practicable to all Parties.

London, 6 December 2022

Colin Faulkner
For the Delegation of the United Kingdom    

Thomas Brégeon
For the Delegation of the European Union

Herluf Sigvaldsson
For the Delegation of the Faroe Islands    

Iben Funch Døj
For the Delegation of Greenland

Áslaug Eir Hólmgeirsdóttir
For the Delegation of Iceland    

Ann Kristin Westberg
For the Delegation of the Norway

Annex I

This annex includes a table showing quotas and catches of mackerel in the North-East Atlantic from 2021 to 2022. The table can be viewed in the attached PDF.

Annex II

This annex includes tables showing transfers and access arrangements for mackerel in 2022. The table can be viewed in the attached PDF.

Agreed record of fisheries consultations between the United Kingdom and Norway on the management of mackerel in the north-east Atlantic for 2023 

1. A Delegation from the United Kingdom (UK), headed by Mr Colin FAULKNER, and a Delegation from Norway, headed by Ms Ann Kristin WESTBERG, met in London on 24 April and after that several virtual meetings, the latest on 7 June 2023, to consult on fisheries relations and access arrangements for North-East Atlantic mackerel for 2023.
2. The Delegations recalled the Fisheries Framework Agreement between the Parties, signed on 30 September 2020; the Agreed Record of Fisheries Consultations between the United Kingdom and Norway for 2023, signed on 24 November 2022; the Agreed Record of Fisheries Consultations between the United Kingdom, the European Union, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Norway on the management of mackerel in the North-East Atlantic for 2023, signed on 6 December 2022 (the “Agreed Record of 6 December 2022”); and the Technical Annexes to the Agreed Record of Consultations on Fisheries between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Kingdom of Norway signed on 25 May 2023 (the “UK-Norway Technical Annexes”).   
3. The Delegations agreed to recommend to their respective authorities the arrangements for mackerel for 2023 as set out in this Agreed Record, including Annex I.
4. The Delegations agreed that the measures outlined in this Agreed Record constitute an ad hoc arrangement for 2023 and are without prejudice to any future quota-sharing arrangement agreed between coastal States to the stock.

5. Quota shares
   1. The Delegations reaffirmed their commitment to continuing to engage in the intensive consultations between coastal States to agree a sustainable and comprehensive quota-sharing arrangement for the stock, noting that coastal States were unable to conclude these consultations by 31 March 2023. They reiterated their determination to cooperate in reducing the fishing pressure on the stock.
   2. In the absence of a comprehensive quota-sharing arrangement for the stock, the Delegations noted the importance of implementing responsible interim management measures.  Although the mackerel stock is within safe biological limits, these measures should aim to bring benefits to the long-term condition of the stock, while discussions to agree quota shares continue.
   3. The Delegations noted that paragraph 2 of the “Agreed Record of 6 December 2022” stated that the delegations agreed that 782,066 tonnes should represent the level of catches for mackerel in the North-East Atlantic for 2023.
   4. In the absence of a comprehensive quota-sharing arrangement for the stock, the UK noted that Norway will set a national quota for 2023 at 249,870 tonnes, which constitutes 31.95% of Total Allowable Catch (TAC). Norway noted that the UK had set its national quota for 2023 at 210,814 tonnes, which constitutes 26.96% of the TAC.
6. Annual quota flexibility
   1. The Delegations agreed that each Party may transfer up to 10% of unutilised quota from 2022 to 2023.
   2. The Delegations agreed that each party may transfer to the following year unutilised quantities of up to 10% of their national quota for 2023. The quantity transferred shall be in addition to the national quota to the Party concerned in the following year. This quantity cannot be transferred further to the quotas for subsequent years.
   3. The Delegations also agreed that each party may authorise fishing by its vessels of up to 10% beyond the national quota it has set for 2023. All quantities fished beyond the set quota for that year will be deducted from the Party's allocated quota for the following year.
7. Transfer Arrangements
   1. The Delegations agreed that for 2023 Norway will deduct from its national quota as set out in paragraph 5.4, 24,635 tonnes of mackerel, equivalent to 3.15 percentage points of the TAC, and transfer this quantity to the UK. This quantity may be fished in the UK’s area of fisheries jurisdiction or in international waters.
8. Access Arrangements
   1. The Delegations agreed that for 2023 the UK will grant Norway access to the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to fish 135,141 tonnes of mackerel, which constitutes 60% of Norway’s national quota after transfer to the UK as set out in paragraph 7.1.
9. Scientific cooperation
   1. The Delegations agreed that contribution to science is vital to obtaining a robust evidence base regarding the abundance and distribution of the stock, which is needed to both generate advice on how to sustainably manage the stock and to establish a basis for quota shares. The Delegations consequently agreed to continue to contribute significantly to the major international dedicated mackerel surveys (for example, the egg-survey, mackerel-ecosystem summer survey (IESSNS) and RFID tagging survey) used in the stock assessment in ICES.
10. Control and Enforcement
    1. Fishing by Norwegian vessels in the UK EEZ will be conducted in accordance with the agreed “UK-Norway Technical Annexes”, other than in instances where measures are superseded or created by this Agreed Record when the measures outlined in this Agreed Record will take precedence.
    2. The UK will communicate in a timely manner the introduction of new fisheries legislation and technical measures recognising the need to provide such information in an expeditious manner to fishers.
    3. The parties agreed to cooperate regarding monitoring, control and surveillance related to fishing of mackerel and such cooperation should be coordinated throughout the Compliance Forum.
11. Catch Statistics
    1. The Delegations agreed that Norway will supply the UK with monthly catch statistics of fishing by its vessels in the UK EEZ. These statistics will be supplied by the end of each month for the previous month’s catches.
    2. Norway will submit daily catch reports when 80% of the access entitlement set out in paragraph 8.1 is reached.
    3. The Norwegian authorities will submit catch information to statistics@marinemanagement.org.uk, copying UKCatchStatistics@defra.gov.uk.

8 June 2023

For the Delegation of the United Kingdom  - Colin Faulkner
For the Delegation of Norway - Ann Kristin Westberg

Annex I

Conditions for Norwegian Vessels Fishing Mackerel in UK waters

The following provisions will apply to Norwegian vessels intending to fish for mackerel in UK waters (in addition to other conditions in licences issued by the UK and in relevant UK legislation):

1. The UK will, upon request from Norway, issue licenses to Norwegian vessels for the fishing of North-East Atlantic mackerel in the UK Exclusive Economic Zone in accordance with the process laid out in Annexes 1 and 2 of the UK-Norway Technical Annexes.
2. Vessels may only commence their fishing in the UK EEZ after having received authorisation for the current trip from the United Kingdom Fisheries Monitoring Centre.
3. Such vessels shall only enter UK waters after passing through one of the following control areas:
   • ICES rectangle 46 E9 in Division 4a
   • ICES rectangle 49 F0 in Division 4a
   • ICES rectangle 48 E8, 49 E8, or 50 E8 in Division 4a
   • ICES rectangle 48 E6 in Division 4a
   • ICES rectangle 48 E2 in Division 6a 
   • ICES rectangle 45 E3 in Division 6a

These control areas will replace those laid out in Annex 4 Appendix 5 of the Technical Annexes

4. If the vessel is entering the UK EEZ for the purposes of fishing mackerel with no fish on board, then the vessel shall be exempt from the requirements under paragraph 3.
5. The fishing trip shall be considered as being terminated when the vessel leaves UK waters or enters a UK port where its catch is fully discharged.
6. Vessels shall only leave UK waters after passing through one of the control areas specified in paragraph 3.
7. At least four hours prior to entering one of the control areas, upon either entering or leaving UK waters, the master of the vessel shall contact the UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre (Edinburgh) by email at the following address: ukfmc@gov.scot or by telephone (~44 131 271 9700).
8. The notification shall specify the name, international radio call sign, and port letters and number (PLN) of the vessel, the total quantity of species on board, and the control area through which the vessel will enter or leave UK waters.
9. The vessel shall not leave the control area or commence fishing until it has received acknowledgement of the notification, and instructions on whether or not the master is required to present the vessel for inspection, either at sea or in a port as requested by the competent authority. Each acknowledgement shall have a unique authorisation number, which the master shall retain until the vessel leaves UK waters.