Questions and answers on the 2026 fishing opportunities for EU-managed stocks in the Atlantic and Skagerrak-Kattegat waters

Why is the Commission proposing fishing opportunities for EU-managed fish stocks in the Atlantic and Skagerrak-Kattegat waters?

Fishing opportunities, also known as Total Allowable Catches (TACs), for fish stocks managed by the EU are set by the EU member states, following a Commission proposal, and apply to most commercial fish stocks either exclusively fished by the EU or shared with the United Kingdom under agreed EU management.

Under the common fisheries policy (CFP), EU countries are legally bound to manage fish stocks in line with the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) (which is the maximum number of fish that can be caught without compromising the stock) and the precautionary approach, in addition to rebuilding depleted stocks. That ensures that EU fishers continue to have healthy fish stocks to rely on for their economic activities.

 When setting TACs in mixed fisheries, where multiple species of fish are caught simultaneously, EU countries may also take into account socio-economic considerations, provided that the legal framework's conditions for doing so are met.

After the decision by the Council, TACs are distributed into national quotas using established allocation keys. Quotas specify how much each EU country may catch and quotas can also be exchanged among them.

How is the Commission proceeding to establish its proposals for TACs for EU-managed stocks?

Every year, the European Commission relies on scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)—an intergovernmental marine science organisation—to assess EU fish stocks. ICES uses the maximum sustainable yield principle when sufficient data is available to ensure long-term stock sustainability, and the precautionary approach when data is limited. Based on this independent, peer-reviewed advice, the Commission proposes Total Allowable Catches (TACs), which are set annually for most stocks or multiannually (for 2–3 years) when scientific updates are less frequent. For stocks assessed under MSY, TACs align with the MSY point, maximizing sustainable yields, while Multiannual Plans allow TACs to be set above or below the MSY point (e.g., up to the “MSY upper” limit or down to the “MSY lower” limit) to balance ecological and socio-economic needs. This flexibility, known as the MSY range, is critical in mixed fisheries. When ICES advises zero or low catch for overfished stocks, the Commission proposes by-catch TACs to prevent early closures while protecting vulnerable species, as for example in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Waters, informed by socio-economic analyses from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries (STECF). These measures aim to safeguard both marine ecosystems and the viability of EU fisheries.

You can find more details on the pollack stock in the Commission's proposal.

What is new this year in the advice and proposals for EU-managed stocks?

For seabass in the Bay of Biscay, the European Commission proposes to continue allowing France and Spain to set their national quotas within a shared limit. This approach, established by the Council in 2019 as part of the first measures under the Multiannual Plan for Western Waters (which covers this stock), has been maintained . For other stocks under this plan, Total Allowable Catches (TACs) are set directly by the EU.

In 2025, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) conducted a benchmark assessment for seabass in the Bay of Biscay, integrating new scientific data and peer-reviewed analysis. This updated assessment led to a more than doubling of the MSY (Maximum Sustainable Yield) advice for 2026—138% higher than 2025.

However, the Commission proposes a shared quota limit aligned with the lowest end of the MSY range (a 101% increase from 2025) to protect pollack, which is frequently caught as by-catch in seabass fisheries. ICES indicates that pollack biomass may be below safe biological limits, making this precautionary measure critical to protect the stock.

What progress has been made for EU-managed stocks throughout the years in relation to the CFP objectives and sustainability?

The majority of EU-managed Total Allowable Catches (TACs) apply to fish stocks in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian waters. According to the 2025 Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries report on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the proportion of stocks in these regions (stocks assessed most comprehensively and including both stocks managed by the EUand shared with non-EU countries) fished in line with the maximum sustainable yield, rose from 50% in 2013 to 100% in 2023.

However, the number of stocks still outside safe biological limits (i.e., overfished or not fished sustainably) has remained at 11%. Notably, the 2025 ICES assessments suggest that EU-managed stocks in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian waters with limited scientific data may currently be outside these biological limits.

For the Baltic Sea (including EU-managed stocks in the Skagerrak-Kattegat), the STECF report highlights that the proportion of stocks outside biological limits has remained stable at 50% since 2013, indicating no progress in this region.

What about fish stocks managed by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, with non-EU countries and in the waters of such countries?

The Commission also proposes fishing opportunities for certain stocks managed by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs). Those align with the outcomes of annual meetings held by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO), and the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA).

For the first time, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) has established catch limits for skipjack tuna. However, since EU countries have not yet agreed on an allocation key for this stock, the EU and Member State quotas for skipjack tuna are marked as "pm" (pro memoria) in the proposal.

Fishing opportunities for other stocks managed by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), shared with non-EU countries (notably the UK and Norway) and those in non-EU waters—are also marked "pm" in the proposal. Once the RFMOs' annual meetings conclude and consultations with non-EU countries are finalised, the proposal will be updated.