PRESS RELEASE : UK and Faroe Islands reach agreement on fishing opportunities for 2024 [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 March 2024.

UK secures over 2,200 tonnes of fishing quota through annual negotiations with the Faroe Islands.

The UK fishing industry will benefit from access to over 2,200 tonnes of fishing opportunities following annual negotiations with the Faroe Islands for 2024, the UK government has announced today (Monday 4th March).

The agreement will see fishermen benefit from 920 tonnes of cod and haddock, 600 tonnes of saithe, as well as Redfish, blue ling and ling, flatfish and other species.

The agreement also reconfirms the UK and Faroese commitments to cooperate on monitoring, control and surveillance measures, as well as scientific cooperation.

The deal follows the conclusion of negotiations with the EU and Norway before Christmas, which gave the UK fishing industry access to 420,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities worth up to £700 million.

Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said:

I’m pleased that we have been able to reach a deal with the Faroe Islands for 2024, giving UK fishing vessels access to key stocks such as haddock and saithe.

This builds on the strong deals that the UK has already concluded with the EU and Norway for 2024, negotiating as an independent coastal state to support a profitable and sustainable UK fishing industry, while safeguarding our marine environment for future generations.”

Leaving the EU has meant that the UK has been able to seize post-Brexit freedoms, negotiating deals which are in the best interests of the UK fishing industry.

The UK negotiates annually with the Faroese Government under the bilateral framework agreement to consider potential exchanges of quota and broader fisheries management measures.

The agreement highlights both parties’ continued commitment to manage fisheries sustainably and support the long-term viability of stocks.

Throughout the negotiations, the UK Government worked closely with the devolved administrations to ensure that all fishing communities across the UK will benefit from the agreement.

Further information:

• The Agreed Record for the negotiations between the UK and Faroe Islands can be seen here