Fishing in UK Waters: What Changes for the Spanish Fleet with the New EU Negotiating Position 2026

Key data

Spanish fishing companies operating in UK waters must pay attention: Council Decision (EU) 2026/2144, published on 23 September 2026, modifies the official negotiating position of the European Union before the Specialised Committee on Fisheries created by the EU-United Kingdom Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). This committee is the bilateral body that manages, in practice, who fishes what, where and how much in the waters that were previously shared.

The regulation being modified is Decision (EU) 2021/1765, which established the EU's original mandate for the entire 2021-2026 period. The 2026 update adapts that mandate to the current circumstances of bilateral negotiations, indicating that the conditions initially agreed have evolved and the EU needs to reposition itself before the end of the period.

What does this regulation establish?

The Specialised Committee on Fisheries is the technical and political forum where the EU and the United Kingdom negotiate the conditions of reciprocal access to their waters and the distribution of catch quotas. It was created by the TCA, the post-Brexit agreement that entered into force in 2021 and regulates the commercial and cooperative relationship between both parties.

Decision (EU) 2026/2144 modifies the mandate that European representatives bring to that negotiating table. In practical terms, this means that the EU's official position on the following aspects may have changed since 2021:

• Conditions for access of European fleets to British waters
• Distribution of catch quotas by species and zone
• Mechanisms of reciprocal access (UK vessels in EU waters)
• Technical and management criteria applicable until the end of the period in 2026

Economic and operational impact

Access to British waters is strategic for a significant part of the Spanish fishing fleet, especially those operating in the North Sea, the English Channel and northeast Atlantic waters. Any change in the EU's negotiating position can translate into:

• Modification of catch quotas by species, with direct impact on the income of fishing associations and shipowner companies
• Restrictions or expansions of access to certain fishing areas in waters under British sovereignty or jurisdiction
• Changes in operating conditions (licenses, notifications, permitted areas) that affect the planning of fishing campaigns
• Impact on the supply chain of processing and marketing companies that depend on catches in UK waters

The fact that the mandate is being updated in the final stretch of the 2021-2026 period suggests that negotiations are in an active phase and that agreements reached in the coming months will define the access framework for the closure of this cycle and, possibly, the basis for the next one.

Who does it affect?

• Spanish fishing fleets operating in UK waters or dependent on quotas negotiated under the TCA
• French and Dutch fleets, expressly identified as the most exposed along with the Spanish
• Shipowner companies and fishing associations with activity in the northeast Atlantic, North Sea and English Channel
• Processing and canning industry that uses raw materials caught in British waters
• Importers and exporters of fish products between the EU and the United Kingdom
• Sector associations (Cepesca, Europêche and national equivalents) that participate in liaison with negotiating administrations
• National fishing administrations (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Spain) that must convey the new mandate to their fleets

Practical example

A Galician shipowner company with three vessels operating in North Sea waters under quotas agreed in the TCA depends directly on the outcome of negotiations in the Specialised Committee on Fisheries. If the EU's new negotiating position—set by this Decision—results in a redistribution of quotas or new access conditions, that company must:

• Review current fishing licenses to verify if they remain valid under the new framework
• Consult with its sector association (for example, Cepesca) if the quotas assigned to Spain have been affected by the adjustment of the negotiating mandate
• Adapt the planning of fishing campaigns for 2026 based on the areas and volumes resulting from the new bilateral agreement

The concrete risk is operating in waters or with volumes that are no longer covered by the current agreement, which can result in sanctions by British maritime authorities or loss of access licenses.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify current access licenses to British waters and check if the new negotiating mandate can affect their validity or conditions during the rest of 2026.
2. Contact the corresponding sector association (Cepesca in Spain, Europêche at European level) to obtain updated information on the concrete impact of the new mandate on national quotas.
3. Closely monitor the sessions of the EU-UK Specialised Committee on Fisheries, as the decisions adopted in that forum are what translate the mandate into real operating conditions.
4. Review the planning of fishing campaigns for 2026 taking into account that access conditions may vary before the end of the period.
5. Consult the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to learn how the new European mandate is transferred to the quotas and licenses assigned to the Spanish fleet.
6. Evaluate the impact on the supply chain if the company is a processor or marketer and depends on catches in UK waters, to anticipate possible disruptions.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202602144