Council Regulation (EU) 2026/1547

Contents

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(3) thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,Whereas:

(1)Council Regulation (EU) 2026/249^note fixes for 2026, 2027 and 2028 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters. Those fishing opportunities, including certain measures functionally linked thereto, should be amended to take into account the publication of scientific advice, the outcomes of consultations with third countries and of meetings of regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs), and other developments.

(2)The North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) has adopted a recommendation for 2026 (the ‘2026 NEAFC recommendation’) establishing a stock protection reserve of 1495 tonnes for mackerel (Scomber scombrus) that can be fished by the Russian Federation in international waters of the NEAFC Convention Area. To prevent that reserve from being exceeded, the 2026 NEAFC recommendation includes associated control measures applicable in both the NEAFC Regulatory Area and the waters under the jurisdiction of those NEAFC Contracting Parties that supported the 2026 NEAFC Recommendation. It is therefore appropriate to implement those measures in Union law.

(3)In 2025, the Union and the United Kingdom held bilateral consultations on the setting of a large number of total allowable catches (TACs) for 2026, including certain measures functionally linked to those TACs, for stocks listed in Annex 35 to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part^note (‘Trade and Cooperation Agreement’). The outcome of those consultations was documented in a written record signed by the Heads of Delegation on 10 December 2025. As documented in the written record, the Heads of Delegation agreed to recommend to their respective authorities that the remedial measures for cod (Gadus Morhua), haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and whiting (Merlangius merlangus) in the Celtic Sea and Irish Sea and for sole (Solea solea) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) in the Channel should start applying, in principle, no later than 1 June 2026, in the Union and the United Kingdom alike to ensure level playing field as the stocks in question are jointly managed. That was agreed subject to the Parties having notified the completion of their respective internal procedures required for the adoption of those remedial measures. Council Regulation (EU) 2026/786^note deferred the application of the measures for cod and whiting in the Irish Sea and for sole and plaice in the Channel to 1 September 2026 as the United Kingdom had a delay in its internal procedures. Given that the United Kingdom expects further delay in the completion of its internal procedures and in order to ensure level playing field for Union operators vis-à-vis United Kingdom operators, the application of those measures should be deferred to 1 November 2026, pending the completion of relevant internal procedures by the United Kingdom.

(4)On 19 June 2026, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) published its scientific advice for anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in the western part of ICES division 9a for the period from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. In accordance with the objective of maximum sustainable yield set out in Article 2(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council^note and the principle of basing measures on the best available scientific advice set out in Article 3(c) of that Regulation, the total allowable catches (TAC) for anchovy in the western part of ICES subarea 9 and in ICES subarea 10 for the period from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 should be set at the level advised by ICES.

(5)On 16 June 2026, the Union and Norway concluded consultations on the level of the overall fishing opportunities for Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis) in ICES divisions 3a and 4a east for the period from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 and on the level of the TAC for Northern prawn in ICES division 3a. The outcome of those consultations was documented in an agreed record signed on 16 June 2026. The TAC for Northern prawn in ICES division 3a should therefore be set at the level agreed with Norway, and the technical measures agreed with Norway in 2025 should be maintained.

(6)In addition, the Union and Norway considered during those consultations a transfer from Norway to the Union of Northern prawn in Norwegian waters of the North Sea south of 62^oN. Since an agreement could not be reached between the Union and Norway on such a transfer, the unallocated fishing opportunities for Northern prawn in Greenland waters of ICES subareas 2, 5, 12 and 14 should now be allocated to Member States. The quotas of the Member States concerned and the corresponding Union quota for Northern prawn in Greenland waters of ICES subareas 2, 5, 12 and 14 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)Between 26 and 28 May 2026, the Union, the United Kingdom and Norway held consultations on the level of the overall fishing opportunities for sprat (Sprattus sprattus) in ICES subarea 4 and ICES division 3a for the period from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 and on the levels of the TACs for sprat in Union and United Kingdom waters of ICES subarea 4 and ICES division 2a and in Union and Norwegian waters of ICES division 3a for that period. The Union participated in those consultations on the basis of the Union position and further specification endorsed by the Council on 7 May 2026. The outcome of those consultations was documented in an agreed record signed on 28 May 2026. The relevant TACs should therefore be set at the levels agreed with the United Kingdom and Norway.

(8)Between 11 and 22 May 2026, the Union and the United Kingdom conducted bilateral consultations pursuant to Article 498(2), (4) and (6) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the level of the TAC for sprat in ICES divisions 7d and 7e for the period from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. The Union participated in those consultations on the basis of the Union position and further specification endorsed by the Council on 7 May 2026. The outcome of those consultations was documented in a written record signed on 4 June 2026. The TAC for sprat in ICES divisions 7d and 7e for the period from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 should therefore be set at the level agreed with the United Kingdom.

(9)Regarding cod (Gadus morhua) in Svalbard waters and international waters of ICES subarea 1 and ICES division 2b, year-to-year flexibility of up to 10 % is applied by other Parties to the 1920 Treaty of Paris relating to Spitsbergen (Svalbard), which grants equal access to the utilisation of resources within the maritime zones surrounding Svalbard, while Regulation (EU) 2026/249 provides that year-to-year flexibility for Member States’ quotas in accordance with Articles 3 and 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96^note does not apply to that stock. It is therefore appropriate to allow Union fishing vessels to use year-to-year flexibility for that TAC.

(10)Regulation (EU) 2026/249 set the Union and Member States’ quotas for capelin (Mallotus villosus) in Greenland waters of ICES subareas 2, 5, 12 and 14 for the period from 15 October 2025 to 15 April 2026 at the level agreed with Greenland, in accordance with Article 2(1) of the Protocol on the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, of the other part^note. However, subsequent to a lack of interest by the Union fishing industry, the Union offered Greenland the possibility to recover those fishing opportunities. Therefore, the Union and Member States’ quotas for capelin in Greenland’s waters of ICES subareas 2, 5, 12 and 14 for the period from 15 October 2025 to 15 April 2026 should be reduced to zero.

(11)In accordance with Article 11 of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, of the other part^note, and in line with the conditions set out in Article 6 and Chapter VI of the Protocol to that Agreement, the Union and Greenland agreed to conduct an experimental fishery for cod (Gadus morhua) in Greenland waters of ICES subareas 5 and 14 north-east of 42^oW for the period from 12 February 2026 to 31 December 2026. Fishing opportunities of 3000 tonnes have been set for that experimental fishery, from which 900 tonnes have been allocated to the Union. That Union quota should be set as agreed with Greenland. That Union quota should be allocated equally among the six Member States concerned. However, that allocation should apply only from 12 February to 31 December 2026 and should be without prejudice to any allocation of possible future Union quotas for cod in Greenland Waters in ICES subareas 5 and 14, north-east of 42^oW.

(12)On 12 June 2026, Canada adopted a catch limit for its vessels fishing for cod in divisions 2J, 3K and 3L of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) Convention Area for the period from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. On 15 June 2026, NAFO adopted a TAC for that stock and that period, of which an allocation corresponding to 5 % of the TAC was made to the other NAFO Contracting Parties, including a Union quota, to be fished in the NAFO Regulatory Area. The TAC for that stock for the period from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 should therefore be set accordingly. In addition, it is appropriate to roll over for that period the current closure period established by NAFO.

(13)At its annual meeting in November 2025, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) adopted Recommendation 25-04 establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/497^note implemented that Recommendation into Union law. That Recommendation includes, inter alia, a revision of the amount of unused bluefin tuna quota that can be carried over from one year to the next. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/497 entered into force on 14 May 2026. As a consequence, Member States are able to request to transfer a maximum of 20 % of their annual quota of bluefin tuna in the ICCAT Convention area east of 45^oW from the preceding year to the following year. For 2026, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Malta and Portugal requested such transfers from 2025. On the basis of those requests, the Commission submitted a revised Union annual plan to the ICCAT Secretariat, pursuant to Article 11(5) of Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 of the European Parliament and of the Council^note. Therefore, the quotas of those Member States for bluefin tuna in the ICCAT Convention area east of 45^oW for 2026 should be amended accordingly.

(14)Pursuant to Article 15(7) of Regulation (EU) 2023/2053, certain Member States submitted to the Commission revised farming management plans for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. The Member States’ maximum of wild-caught bluefin tuna into farms and the farming capacity should therefore be amended in line with those plans, as transmitted to the ICCAT Secretariat.

(15)At its 2026 annual meeting, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) adopted revised catch limits for skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) in the IOTC Area of Competence for 2026. The Union and Member States’ quotas for that stock for 2026 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(16)At its annual meeting in April 2026, the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC) established catch limits for chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) and blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) available to all NPFC Contracting Parties for trawlers and purse seiners for the period from 1 June 2026 to 31 December 2026. In addition, the NPFC established an additional amount of those stocks for the Union for that same period. It also established associated effort limits. Moreover, the NPFC established measures functionally linked to those catch limits and to that additional amount, without which those catch limits for all NPFC Contracting Parties could not have been established and the fishing opportunities for chub mackerel and blue mackerel in the NPFC Convention area would have to be reduced to protect the non-target species. Those fishing opportunities and functionally linked measures should be implemented in Union law.

(17)Council Regulation (EU) 2025/2454^note fixes for 2026 fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in the Baltic Sea. Due to serious uncertainties about the condition and the future development of the stock, that Regulation sets a TAC for herring (Clupea harengus) in ICES divisions 30 and 31 (Gulf of Bothnia) for 2026 covering the period from 1 January to 31 October 2026. In accordance with Article 3(4) and Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council^note, it is appropriate to set the TAC for Bothnian herring for 2026 on the basis of the ICES advice of 28 May 2025 for that stock for 2026 and in line with the reduced lowest value within the range of F_MSY, and taking into account the latest scientific information contained in the ICES technical service of 10 June 2026.

(18)Regulations (EU) 2026/249 and (EU) 2025/2454 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(19)In order to maintain the reporting periods for the TACs amended by this Regulation, and given that some of those TACs apply from 1 January 2026, the amended TACs should apply retroactively from that date. Such retroactive application does not affect the principles of legal certainty and protection of legitimate expectations, as the TACs concerned are maintained or increased.

(20)Given the urgency of avoiding interruptions to fishing activities, this Regulation should enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2026/249#

Regulation (EU) 2026/249 is amended as follows:

(1)in Article 1(2), point (d) is replaced by the following:

(d)fishing opportunities for the period from 1 June 2026 to 31 December 2026 in the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC) Convention area.’

;

(2)in Article 4, the following points are inserted:

(qa)“NEAFC (North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission) Convention area” means the geographical areas defined in the Convention on future multilateral cooperation in North-East Atlantic fisheries^note;

(qb)“NEAFC Regulatory Area” means the waters of the NEAFC Convention Area that lie beyond the waters under the fisheries jurisdiction of the NEAFC Contracting Parties;

(3)in Chapter III, the following section is inserted:‘Section 1aNEAFC Convention areaArticle 26aManagement measures for mackerel1.Union fishing vessels shall not tranship mackerel that was caught in directed fisheries by fishing vessels flying the flag of the Russian Federation in the NEAFC Regulatory Area in 2026 after the catches of those vessels have exceeded 1495 tonnes collectively.2.Union fishing vessels shall not provide refuelling or other support services to vessels that have on board mackerel that was caught in directed fisheries by fishing vessels flying the flag of the Russian Federation in the NEAFC Regulatory Area in 2026 after the catches of those vessels have exceeded 1495 tonnes collectively.3.In Union waters and ports, landings, transhipments and the provision of other port services shall be prohibited for vessels that have on board mackerel that was caught in directed fisheries by fishing vessels flying the flag of the Russian Federation in the NEAFC Regulatory Area in 2026 after the catches of those vessels have exceeded 1495 tonnes collectively.’;

(4)Article 62(2) is amended as follows:

(a)point (da) is replaced by the following:

(da)Article 19(3) shall apply from 1 November 2026 to 31 December 2026;’

;

(b)point (db) is replaced by the following:

(db)Article 20 shall apply from 1 November 2026 to 31 December 2026;’

;

(c)point (l) is replaced by the following:

(l)Title II, Chapter III, Section 11, shall apply from 1 June 2026 to 31 December 2026 or until the date on which a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down corresponding measures becomes applicable, whichever is the earlier;’

;

(d)the following point is inserted:

(ma)Table 1 in Annex IC shall apply from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, and footnote 2 in that Table shall apply from 15 April 2027 to 30 June 2027 or until the date on which a Union act concerning the closure period for cod in NAFO divisions 2J3KL becomes applicable, whichever is the earlier;’

;

(e)point (p) is replaced by the following:

(p)Annexes IM and XI shall apply from 1 June 2026 to 31 December 2026;’

;

(5)Annex IA, Parts A and B, and Annexes IB, IC, ID, IJ, IM and VI are amended in accordance with Annex I to this Regulation.

Article 2Amendment to Regulation (EU) 2025/2454#

The Annex to Regulation (EU) 2025/2454 is amended in accordance with Annex II to this Regulation.

Article 3Entry into force and application#

This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.It shall apply from 1 January 2026.

Annex I

Regulation (EU) 2026/249 is amended as follows:

(1)Annex IA is amended as follows:

(a)in Part A, Table 2(1) is replaced by the following:Table 2(1)Species: | Anchovy | Zone: | 9W and 10Engraulis encrasicolus | (ANE/9WX10)Spain | 1632 | | Analytical TACPortugal | 14691 |Union | 16323 |TAC | 16323 |

(b)in Part B, Table 40, the text of footnote 2 is replaced by the following:‘(2)Special condition: up to 10 % of this quota may be transferred to ICES Division 3a. However, Member States shall notify such transfers in advance to the Commission.’;

(c)in Part B, Table 77 is replaced by the following:Table 77Species: | Northern prawn | Zone: | 3aPandalus borealis | (PRA/03A.)Denmark | 1121 | | Analytical TACArticle 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applyArticle 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applySweden | 603 |Union | 1724 |TAC | 3228 |

(d)in Part B, Tables 113 and 114 are replaced by the following:Table 113Species: | Sprat and associated by-catches | Zone: | 3aSprattus sprattus | (SPR/03A.)Denmark | 10156 | | Analytical TACGermany | 21 |Sweden | 3842 |Union | 14019 |TAC | pm |Table 114Species: | Sprat and associated by-catches | Zone: | United Kingdom and Union waters of 4; United Kingdom waters of 2aSprattus sprattus | (SPR/2AC4-C)Belgium | 688 | | Analytical TACDenmark | 54491 |Germany | 688 |France | 688 |Netherlands | 688 |Sweden | 1330 |Union | 58573 |Norway | 6508 |Faroe Islands | 0 |United Kingdom | 2585 |TAC | 67666 |

(e)in Part B, Table 115 is replaced by the following:Table 115Species: | Sprat | Zone: | 7d and 7eSprattus sprattus | (SPR/7DE.)Belgium | 13 | | Analytical TACDenmark | 860 |Germany | 13 |France | 185 |Netherlands | 185 |Union | 1256 |United Kingdom | 6592 |TAC | 7848 |

(2)Annex IB is amended as follows:

(c)Table 4 is replaced by the following:Table 4Species: | Cod | Zone: | Svalbard waters; international waters of 1 and 2bGadus morhua | (COD/1/2B.)Germany | 1507 | | Analytical TACSpain | 3897 |France | 643 |Poland | 709 |Portugal | 822 |Others | 84 |Union | 7662 |TAC | Not relevant |

(d)Table 9 is replaced by the following:Table 9Species: | Capelin | Zone: | Greenland waters of 2, 5, 12 and 14Mallotus villosus | (CAP/GL251214)Year | 2026 | | 2027 | |Denmark | 0 | | 0 | | Analytical TACArticle 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applyArticle 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applyGermany | 0 | | 0 |Sweden | 0 | | 0 |All Member States | 0 | | 0 |Union | 0 | | 0 |Norway | 0 | | 0 |TAC | Not relevant | | Not relevant |

(3)in Annex IC, Table 1 is replaced by the following:Table 1Species: | Cod | Zone: | NAFO 2J3KLGadus morhua | (COD/N2J3KL)Bulgaria | 0,004 | | Analytical TACArticle 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applyArticle 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applyGermany | 533,170 |Estonia | 95,036 |Spain | 492,963 |France | 76,732 |Latvia | 95,036 |Lithuania | 95,036 |Poland | 249,112 |Portugal | 769,752 |Romania | 7,109 |Union | 2413,95 |TAC | 62105,19 |

(4)Annex ID is amended as follows:

(a)Table 7 is replaced by the following:Table 7Species: | Northern Albacore | Zone: | ICCAT Convention area, north of 5oN, excluding MediterraneanThunnus alalunga | (ALB/ICAN05NXM)Ireland | 4959,40 | | Analytical TACArticle 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applyArticle 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applySpain | 27953,00 |France | 8791,67 |Portugal | 3065,81 |Union | 44769,88 |United Kingdom | 741 |TAC | 47251,00 |

(b)Table 12(1) is replaced by the following:Table 12(1)Species: | Bluefin tuna | Zone: | ICCAT Convention area, east of 45oWThunnus thynnus | (BFT/ICAE45W)Cyprus | 240,16 | | Analytical TACArticle 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applyArticle 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not applyGreece | 480,79 |Spain | 8352,55 |France | 8067,21 |Croatia | 1353,64 |Italy | 6534,98 |Malta | 517,31 |Portugal | 858,28 |Others | 104,03 |Union | 26508,95 |TAC | 48403,00 |

(6)Annex IM is replaced by the following:

(7)in Annex VI, point 6 is replaced by the following:‘6.Maximum number of authorised farms and maximum input of wild-caught bluefin tuna that each Member State may allocate to its farms in the eastern Atlantic and MediterraneanMaximum number of authorised farms and input of wild-caught bluefin tuna| Number of farms | Input (in tonnes)Greece | 0 | 0Spain | 8 | 10550Croatia | 4 | 2947Italy | 0 | 0Cyprus | 0 | 0Malta | 5 | 12300Portugal | 2 | 626;

Annex IM · Npfc convention area

Table 1
Trawlers^note(M/M/NPFC-TR)	Purse seiners^note(M/M/NPFC-PS)
5703	42237
Species:	Chub mackerel and blue mackerelScomber japonicus and Scomber australasicus	Zone:	NPFC Convention area
Union	5560	^note^note^note^note	Precautionary TACArticle 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
NPFC Contracting Parties, including Union	47940	^note^note^note^note
TAC	Not relevant

Annex II

In the Annex to Regulation (EU) 2025/2454, Table 1 is replaced by the following:

Table 1Species: | Herring | Zone: | Subdivisions 30-31Clupea harengus | (HER/30/31.)Finland | 45805 | | Analytical TAC.Sweden | 10064 |Union | 55869 |TAC | 55869 |