United Kingdom and Norway - fisheries consultations: agreed record for 2025

10. Control and enforcement

10.1 The Delegations recalled the longstanding cooperation between the Parties' respective control authorities, which entails both strategic and operational cooperation throughout the entire value chain. The Delegations shared the view that efficient and trustworthy Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) measures were key factors in a comprehensive management regime targeting sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources.

10.2 The Delegations noted the work that has been carried out in 2024 in line with the bilateral agreement to improve compliance with fisheries management measures which was signed in 2023. In particular, the Delegations commended the work of the joint Compliance Forum in 2024 in sharing good practice on improving monitoring, control and enforcement measures.  The Delegations agreed that the Compliance Forum should continue to meet at least annually and as appropriate. It was noted that the Compliance Forum at its most recent meeting on 13-14 May 2024 had agreed to set up a joint workshop related to risk analysis, methodologies and other issues connected to risk topics, including sharing of tools, and identifying common issues with shared fisheries. This workshop is postponed to 2025.  In addition, the Forum agreed to explore and cooperate in the field of air surveillance. The Delegations further agreed that the Compliance Forum should provide them with an update on its work and relevant suggestions from the group, including any proposals on MCS measures to consider well in advance of their bilateral consultations for 2026. The UK will host the next Compliance Forum on the week commencing 5 May 2025.

10.3 The Delegations noted the good cooperation this year to implement the relevant technical regulations that apply to vessels fishing in the waters of the other Party, as set out in the Technical Annexes. They further agreed that those measures have shown themselves to be effective during 2024. The Delegations noted that some revisions were required for the 2025 Technical Annex. Consequently, the Delegations agreed that a Working Group of technical experts should meet virtually as soon as possible in 2025 with the aim of finalising such revisions before 28 February 2025. The 2024 Technical Annex will apply until the revisions have been finalised and published in a separate document alongside this Agreed Record.

10.4 The UK Delegation shared information with the Norwegian Delegation about the implementation of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) on pelagic vessels in the UK. Any relevant pelagic vessels fishing in Scottish waters will be required to have REM installed and operational from 7 March 2026 and to undergo a system test trip when authorised in writing by the Scottish Government. System test trips will be available to take place from 7 September 2025. The Delegations agreed to continue the fruitful dialogue which existed between them to date to ensure timely and successful implementation of this legislation.

10.5 The Delegations took note of the report from the Coastal State Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Working Group from September 2024 and the proposed recommendations and best practice. The Delegations also recalled the agreement on control measures for the pelagic stocks signed in November 2022, and in particular points 7 and 9 in the Agreed Record. They noted that the Coastal State MCS working group has been assigned to engage in testing technological solutions to be used on board fishing vessel to monitor their activity and to map experience and knowledge on the use of technological solutions, e.g. CCTV, sensors, artificial intelligence, to reduce slipping, discarding and high-grading in pelagic fisheries and to improve catch documentation on board fishing vessels, and as appropriate recommend measures on this topic. The Delegations recognised the importance of continuing coordinating and sharing best practice wherever possible, whilst also noting that individual parties may have particular monitoring objectives for which they may deploy the technology and measures they deem most capable of achieving those.