UK fishers have more certainty for 2026 after the Government confirmed bilateral agreements with Norway and the Faroe Islands. Using historic UK landing prices, Defra values the additional opportunities at about £8 million, taking total UK fishing opportunities for 2026 to roughly £840 million alongside earlier EU and coastal state deals.

Continuity is the main win. The UK will receive the same tonnage for Arctic stocks in Norwegian waters and for valuable species in Faroese waters as in 2025, with added North Sea herring. For skippers mapping crews, dry-docking and quota leasing over winter, steady volumes often beat a late-season surprise.

On Norway, the UK secured around £3 million in opportunities through quota exchanges. This includes access to Arctic stocks in Norwegian waters and an extra 657 tonnes of North Sea herring, following the UK‑EU‑Norway trilateral outcome on 5 December 2025. Access for whitefish in Norwegian waters remains up to 30,000 tonnes.

A longer-term herring arrangement now permits up to 20,000 tonnes of access in each other’s waters. Practically, this means UK vessels can target Atlanto‑Scandian herring in Norwegian waters when market prices and weather windows align.

With the Faroe Islands, the UK gains more than 2,000 tonnes of additional opportunities, worth about £5 million on the same pricing basis. Quota covers haddock, cod, saithe, blue ling, ling, redfish, flatfish and other species in Faroese waters, with arrangements kept stable versus 2025 to preserve predictability.

Across the two deals, officials highlight transfers of over 1,000 tonnes of Arctic stocks and more than 2,000 tonnes from Faroese waters, plus a herring uplift. The Government says joint work on monitoring, control and surveillance underpins sustainable management in the North Sea.

For ports such as Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Lerwick, consistent whitefish access into Norwegian waters helps keep landings and processing shifts even. East-coast processors around Grimsby and Humberside typically benefit from reliable throughput that supports shift planning, cold storage utilisation and export schedules.

Pelagic timing matters too. Additional North Sea and Atlanto‑Scandian herring access strengthens seasonal campaigns that serve northern European buyers and domestic fishmeal and oil demand. Prices will still move with currency and global supply, but the 2026 quota book is clearer.

It is worth stressing the valuation basis. The headline £8 million is derived from historic UK landing prices and is not a revenue guarantee. Actual outcomes will depend on catch rates, product quality, market prices, fuel costs and exchange rates through the year.

Next comes the Secretary of State determination, which will confirm UK fishing opportunities for British boats in 2026 by stock and area. Agreed Records for both the UK‑Norway and UK‑Faroe negotiations are published on GOV.UK, allowing vessel managers to firm up operational schedules.

Defra argues the outcome delivers tangible benefits for fishing communities by enabling investment decisions and safeguarding coastal employment. With scientific advice tightening for some North Sea stocks, predictable access also reduces the risk of forced early tie‑ups in mixed fisheries.

From a business perspective, this is incremental rather than transformational, but it targets species many processors depend on. The combination of steady whitefish access and a herring uplift offers a more workable supply mix for 2026 than many feared earlier in the autumn.