On 11 December, Fisheries Ministers finalized next year’s fishing quotas 2025 for the Atlantic, North Sea, and Mediterranean. The agreement will be formalized into a Regulation, expected by late January after legal scrutiny, finalization, and translation.
This implies that for recreational fisheries, three key regulations will determine the fishing opportunities for 2025:
1. the Multiannual Plan for 2024, 2025, and 2026
- Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters
2. the EU-UK agreement of 6 December 2024
3. the EU ministers’ agreement on fishing opportunities 2025 of 11 December 2025 (to be formalized in January 2025)
- Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters
Nationally, and locally more restrictive measures can be introduced.
1. The Multiannual Plan for 2024, 2025, and 2026 is still in force.
This plan outlines measures for a number of species including European seabass and pollack.
Seabass
- Bay of Biscay:
- Recreational fishers are limited to 1 fish per day, and fixed nets are prohibited.
- North Sea, the Channel and other waters around UK
- Recreational fisheries:
- February–March: Catch-and-release only.
- April–December: Up to 2 fish per day per fisher, minimum size 42 cm, no fixed nets allowed.
- Recreational fisheries:
Pollack
- Bay of Biscay and Iberian Waters
- Recreational Fisheries
- January–April: No retention allowed; catch-and-release fishing permitted.
- May–December: Maximum of 2 fish per day per fisher; catch-and-release remains allowed after the limit is reached.
- Recreational Fisheries
2. Bilateral Agreement Between EU and UK - agreed and published on 6 December 2024.
It covers some 80 stocks, including bass and pollack.
=> Bilateral Agreement Between EU and UK.
- Delegations acknowledged the significant role of recreational fishing in total catches and agreed to improve data collection and integration of recreational catches into stock assessments. Efforts will focus on better integrating recreational catch data into stock assessments and developing fair, effective limits to reduce fishing mortality where necessary. A benchmark assessment is planned for 2025, with further steps to be determined afterward.
- For bass, recreational fishing rules remain unchanged in 2025
(see the multiannual plan above and the ministers' agreement below) - For pollack: (see the multiannual plan above and the ministers' agreement below)
3. EU ministers’ agreement on fishing opportunities 2025 of 11 December
Following legal and linguistic checks, the Council will adopt the regulations at an upcoming meeting. They will then be published in the Official Journal – end of January most likely - and will apply as of 1 January 2025 retrospectively.
Bass
(12) According to the ICES advice for 2025, the biomass of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in ICES divisions 8a and 8b [note: Bay of Biscay] is forecast to decrease further in 2024 and to remain below MSY Btrigger but above Blim. Therefore, in accordance with Article 8(1) of the Western Waters MAP, France and Spain are jointly to ensure that, when determining their quotas for commercial fisheries for that stock, the sum of commercial landings, commercial discards, recreational landings and recreational discards is below the FMSY point value6 for total removals, as reduced proportionally to take into account the decrease in the biomass. In order to allow the Commission to monitor the correct application of the objectives and rules set out in the Basic Regulation and in the Western Waters MAP, Member States should submit to the Commission information regarding those quotas.
(13) Additional measures for recreational fisheries for European seabass in ICES divisions 8a and 8b [note: Bay of Biscay] should be maintained, in view of the significant impact of recreational fisheries on the biomass of that stock and taking into account the decreased biomass.
Article 10
Measures on European seabass fisheries in ICES divisions 4b, 4c and 6a and ICES subarea 7
(..)
5. In recreational fisheries, including from shore, in ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 6a and 7a to 7k:
(a) from 1 February to 31 March 2025: (i) only catch-and-release fishing with a rod or a handline for European seabass shall be allowed; (ii) it shall be prohibited to retain, relocate, tranship or land European seabass caught in that area;
(b) in January and from 1 April to 31 December 2025: (i) not more than two specimens of European seabass may be caught and retained per fisher per day; (ii) the minimum size of European seabass retained shall be 42 cm; (iii) fixed nets shall not be used to catch or retain European seabass. 6. Paragraph 5 shall apply without prejudice to more stringent national measures on recreational fisheries
Article 11
Measures for European seabass fisheries in ICES divisions 8a and 8b [Bay of Biscay]
1. When determining their fishing opportunities for commercial fisheries, France and Spain shall jointly ensure that the sum of commercial landings and recreational removals for European seabass in ICES divisions 8a and 8b do not exceed 2 631 tonnes. Those fishing opportunities shall be considered as quotas for the purpose of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.
2. By 15 March, Spain and France shall inform the Commission of the fishing opportunities and how those comply with paragraph 1.
3. Catches in commercial fisheries under those fishing opportunities shall be reported by Spain (BSS/8ABSPA) and by France (BSS/8ABFRA).
4. In recreational fisheries, including from shore, in ICES divisions 8a and 8b:
(a) a maximum of one specimen of European seabass may be caught and retained per fisher per day; (b) fixed nets shall not be used to catch or retain European seabass.
5. Paragraph 4 shall apply without prejudice to more stringent national measures on recreational fisheries.
Pollack:
(15) According to scientific advice, recreational catches of pollack (Pollachius pollachius) in ICES subareas 8, 9, 10 and Union waters of CECAF 34.1.1 are non-negligible. It is therefore appropriate to maintain limits to its recreational fishery in those areas. In order to protect the spawning grounds and limit juvenile catches, no specimen of pollack may be caught and retained from 1 January to 30 April in recreational fisheries, while the maximum of two specimens could be allowed for the remaining part of the year.
Article 12 - Measures for pollack in ICES subareas 8, 9, 10 and Union waters of CECAF 34.1.1 1.
A minimum conservation reference size of 42 cm shall apply for catches of pollack in ICES subareas 8, 9, 10 and Union waters of CECAF 34.1.1. 2. In recreational fisheries, including from shore, in ICES subareas 8, 9, 10 and Union waters of CECAF 34.1.1: (a) a maximum of two specimens of pollack (Pollachius pollachius) may be caught and retained per fisher per day. Once that ceiling has been reached, ‘catch and release’ fishing may be carried out; (b) no specimens of pollack are permitted to be caught and retained from 1 January to 30 April. ‘Catch and release’ fishing may nevertheless be carried out during that period. 2. Paragraph 1 applies without prejudice to stricter national measures on recreational fishing.
Links & downloads:
=> Press release and documents "Fishing opportunities for the Atlantic, North Sea, and Mediterranean"
=> Council release with links to agreed TACs and Quota
=> CONSOLIDATED VERSION of 18 December:
Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION fixing for 2025 and 2026 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters - Consolidated version
