Closure ‘disproportionate’ and ‘fails to take account’ of scientific evidence and economic impacts

Anish Fishmeal interests say they are concerned at the UK Government’s decision to maintain the closure of the North Sea sandeel fishery, despite the arbitration tribunal ruling that the UK had made a ‘procedural error’ when it closed the fishery in 2024 (FN, 3 July, ‘North Sea sandeel closure confirmed’).

‘They are calling on the Danish and EU authorities to work together to ensure that sandeel fishing is reopened to EU vessels.

Denmark – which holds 96% of the sandeel quota in EU waters – made a legal challenge to the closure, which was heard in the Court of Arbitration.

The court rejected three out of four EU claims contesting the UK closure but upheld a fourth, saying there was a breach of the Brexit Trade and Co-operation (TCA) agreement due to a ‘procedural shortcoming’ in the closure process.

The UK has now written to the EU to confirm that it has completed ‘a new decision-making process based on updated advice and evidence, which takes into account all the requirements set out in the tribunal’s report’. It says this brings the UK into compliance with its TCA obligations and ‘the closures will therefore remain in place’.

In a response to the decision, Marine Ingredients, the body representing Danish fishmeal processors, said it was based on national reports rather than the independent scientific advice from ICES.

This, it argued, undermined the common understanding of what constitutes the best available science, which was the foundation of vessel and fisheries management and international fisheries agreements.

It was, it said, ‘particularly problematic’ that the closure was disproportionate to the biological advice and the extensive socio-economic consequences for the Danish fishing and processing sector, which was ‘deeply dependent on sandeel fishing’.

Marine Ingredients said it was ‘crucial’ that ICES continued to be recognised as the central and objective source of fisheries science advice, and that access to sandeel fishing was secured professionally and by agreement.

The Danish organisation welcomed the UK-EU agreement to extend mutual access to each other’s waters for another 12 years, which was ‘a step in the right direction’ that created stability and predictability for fishing.

“We recognise the long-term approach and hope it will contribute to a more coherent and co-ordinated management of common fish stocks,” it said.

Marine Ingredients said it was ‘surprised’ that Britain chooses to maintain a national fishing ban that that was disproportionate in relation to the scientific advice and EU-UK agreements.

“We encourage therefore the Danish and European authorities to work actively to ensure that sandeel fishing is again opened to EU vessels as part of the extended access agreement, and that future decisions are transparent and based on science.”

By Tim Oliver

This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here. 

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