The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Made: 5th February 2026

Laid before Parliament: 6th February 2026

Coming into force: 27th February 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 36(1)(b) and (c), (4)(e) and (6)(a) and (c) of the Fisheries Act 2020[^f00001] (“the 2020 Act”) and section 15 of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023[^f00002] (“the 2023 Act”).

The Secretary of State has, where necessary, obtained the consent of the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland (“DAERA”) to the making of these Regulations in accordance with section 40 of the 2020 Act[^f00003].

The Secretary of State has consulted the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers, DAERA and such other persons likely to be affected by the measures contained in these Regulations as the Secretary of State considers appropriate in accordance with section 41(1) of the 2020 Act.

The Secretary of State is a relevant national authority[^f00004] for the purposes of section 15(1) of the 2023 Act.

The Secretary of State is satisfied that there have been developments in scientific understanding and that it is appropriate to make these Regulations to take account of those developments.

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Sea Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and come into force on 27th February 2026.

• (2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Amendment of Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 fixing for 2020 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters

2

• (1) Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 fixing for 2020 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters[^f00005] is amended as follows.

• (2) In Article 10(5)(b) (measures on European seabass fisheries), for “two” substitute “three”.

• (3) In Article 16 (prohibited species)—

• (a) in paragraph 1, omit point (n);

• (b) omit paragraph 3.

Signed

Angela Eagle — Minister of State — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs — 5th February 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

These Regulations amend Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 fixing for 2020 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters (Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123), which is secondary assimilated law within the meaning of section 21(1) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (c. 28), as read with section 12(2) of that Act.

These Regulations make adjustments to the number of European seabass that may be caught within British fishery limits, as specified in Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123, for recreational fisheries.

These Regulations also remove picked dogfish from the list of prohibited species contained in Article 16 of Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123. It is intended that any fishing restrictions on picked dogfish will be managed through vessel licence conditions.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the public, private or voluntary sector is foreseen. A de minimis assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the cost of business has been prepared and is available from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2020 c. 22.

[^f00002]: 2023 c. 28.

[^f00003]: The term “the Northern Ireland Department” is defined in section 52 of the Fisheries Act 2020.

[^f00004]: The term “relevant national authority” is defined in section 21(1) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.

[^f00005]: EUR 2020/123, amended by S.I. 2020/1542, 2021/698, 2021/1429, 2022/498, 2023/273 and 2024/1028; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.