Notice

Industry Advisory

Published 21 October 2026

New EU fisheries Control requirements came into effect on 10 January 2026 and further requirements are due to come into force in 2027 as detailed within this page.

These are additional requirements relating to:

• The marking of fishing gears.
• The requirements for completing and submitting an electronic logbook and landing declarations for vessels of 12 metres overall length or more.
• Weighing of fishery products for vessels landing into EU ports
• The frequency of VMS reports.

These requirements apply only when fishing in the waters of EU Member States.

Important: These measures arise from EU legislation and do not form part of UK law. They are not enforced by MMO Marine Enforcement Officers. The information provided reflects the MMO’s current understanding of the requirements applicable to UK vessels operating in EU waters. Vessel owners, operators and Masters should seek advice from the relevant EU Member State authorities for definitive guidance on the requirements applicable within their jurisdiction.

When fishing in EU waters, third country vessels, including UK vessels must comply with the same rules that are applicable to Union vessels as specified in Article 32-38 of Council Regulation 2017/2403 (Regulation - 2017/2403 - EN - EUR-Lex).

The MMO and Defra continue to engage with the European Commission and EU Member States to clarify the implementation of these measures and understand the enforcement approaches that may be adopted. Decisions on compliance and enforcement remain the responsibility of individual EU Member States. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.

1. Marking of fishing gear

1.1 Marking of pots and nets

Articles 12-18 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2196 (Implementing regulation - 2025/2196 - EN - EUR-Lex) details the requirements on the marking of passive gear.  The requirements apply to all vessels, fishing in EU waters outside of the 12nm baselines.

Passive gear in use AND carried on board must be marked with a permanent label showing the PLN of the vessel. Each label must meet the following conditions:

• They are made of durable material
• They are securely fitted to the gear
• They are clearly readable and identifiable and
• They are not removable, effaced, altered, illegible, covered or concealed.

Size of labels (65mm wide and 75mm long) are still applicable for fishing in UK waters. There is no longer any size requirements for labels in EU waters.

There are differences between marking of passive gear in UK waters versus EU waters and below identifies how labels must be attached to the gear:

	UK Regs	EU Regs
Nets	Label attached on the upper first row	Label attached on the upper first row AND on the footrope
Lines	Label at the point of contact with the mooring buoy	Label on the mainline AND on every float
Pots and traps	Label attached to the ground rope	Label attached to the trap itself and on the ropes. Pots should have a label attached to the groundrope AND on every pot
Passive gear extending more than 1 nautical mile	Labels attached as above and at regular intervals not exceeding 1 nautical mile	Labels attached as above and at regular intervals not exceeding 1 nautical mile

Marker buoys

• If you use or carry on board passive gear in UK waters outside 12 nautical miles and in EU waters, you must attach marker buoys to the gear in addition to labels. The requirements have not changed from the previous requirements when operating in in both UK and EU waters.

1.2 Marking of trawls

From 10 January 2027 in EU waters, there is a requirement to display the vessel PLN on trawls and trawl equipment carried and used in fishing operations as per Article 11 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2196 (Implementing regulation - 2025/2196 - EN - EUR-Lex) as follows

• The beam of each beam trawl assembly, where present. This requirement is the same in UK waters as per Article 10 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 4004/2011 (UK assimilated legislation Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011)
• The trawl door where present – EU waters only.
• Each selvedge of the upper section of the codend – EU waters only.

2. Logbook completion and submission requirements in EU waters

Logbook entries

Article 14 of Council Regulation 2009/1224 (EUR-Lex - 02009R1224-20260110 - EN - EUR-Lex) regarding the completion and submission of the fishing logbook has been amended by Article 1(11) of regulation 2023/2842 (Regulation - EU - 2023/2842 - EN - EUR-Lex)

2.1 Catch reporting in EU waters

• Masters of vessels of 12 metres overall length or more are required to complete their electronic logbook for each fishing operation when fishing in EU waters. A separate Fishing Activity Report (FAR) must be made for each fishing operation.

• One fishing operation or one haul is defined as a cycle of deploying a net or string of pots, towing it or leaving it to soak, and then retrieving it. For fixed nets and pots, a separate haul entry would need to be made for each net or string of pots.

• A separate logbook entry would need to be made in EU waters where the shooting and hauling are separate operations. i.e. The shooting and hauling of towed nets would require a single FAR. The shooting of gear such as pots or fixed gill nets would require a separate FAR to the hauling of the gear, if it was not a continuous operation.

• A separate FAR is required for each fishing operation, that the vessel undertook within EU waters regardless of whether the gear was shot or hauled in EU waters.

2.2 Recording of species in the logbook

• When fishing in EU waters, UK vessels of 12 metres overall length or more must record the liveweight equivalent of all quantities of individual species retained. In UK waters individual species must be recorded in the logbook once 50kg (liveweight equivalent) is retained.

• An estimate of all species discarded in kilograms liveweight

2.3 COE (catch on entry) and COX (catch on exit)

• UK vessels of 12 metres overall length, are required to submit COE/COX reports, via their electronic logbook, when entering and exiting Union waters, on the basis of Regulation Articles 38(2) of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/2403 (EUR-Lex - 02017R2403-20260110 - EN - EUR-Lex), which sets out rules for third-country fishing vessels conducting fishing operations in Union waters. The information required is specified in Annex III of Commission Implementing Regulation 201/2010 (Regulation - 201/2010 - EN - EUR-Lex)

• UK vessels going in and out should follow the same rules as for fishing effort zones, in accordance with Annex XV(41) of Commission Regulation 2025/2196 (Implementing regulation - 2025/2196 - EN - EUR-Lex) “When performing trans-zonal activities, the position of first entry and the last exit shall be recorded for every day.” Trans-zonal activity means that the vessel remains within a zone not exceeding 5 nautical miles on either side of the line separating two effort zones.

2.4 Electronic submission of the fishing logbook

Article 15 of Council Regulation 2009/1224 (EUR-Lex - 02009R1224-20260110 - EN - EUR-Lex) regarding the completion and submission of the fishing logbook has been amended by Article 1(11) of regulation 2023/2842 (Regulation - EU - 2023/2842 - EN - EUR-Lex)

Masters of Union catching vessels shall submit by electronic means the information referred to in Article 14 to the competent authority of their flag Member State:

• at least once a day;
• after the last fishing operation and before entering a port or landing site.

Masters of over 12 metre vessels are therefore required to record catch information in their electronic logbooks per fishing operation; however, these could be entered individually and submitted at the end of the day or grouped and sent several times a day, rather than immediately after each fishing operation. While individual fishing operations do not need to be submitted immediately after completion, they must be recorded and included in the daily logbook submission or prior to returning to port.

Vessel Masters should also be aware that:

• If inspected the Master would need to bring his logbook up-to-date, including any individual fishing operations conducted in EU waters, at the time of the inspection and submit this.
• If the vessel fished in EU waters, then crossed back into UK waters, then the master would still need enter the individual fishing operations that were conducted in EU waters

From 10 January 2028 under 12 metre vessels are required to be compliant with new logbook requirements when fishing in EU waters, which include use of e-logs for all vessels.

2.5 Electronic logbooks and data exchange

Discussions with the European Union are ongoing regarding the data that UK over 12 metre vessels will be required to record and submit via Electronic Logbooks when operating in EU waters. Fisheries Administrations are continuing work to assess requirements and map the necessary updates to UK systems to allow the exchange of this data with the EU. Further information will be provided as details become available.

3. Weighing of fishery products for vessels landing into EU ports

New rules regarding the weighing of fishery products for vessels landing into EU ports come into force on 11 January 2027, as specified in Commission Regulation 2026/1932 (Implementing regulation - EU - 2026/1932 - EN - EUR-Lex). Defra is currently seeking clarification from the European Commission, regarding how the additional requirements will affect UK vessels. This includes clarification on

• The transport of landed fishery products to a point of first sale, within the same EU Member State where the landing took place.
• The transport of landed fishery products to a point of first sale outside the EU Member State where the landing took place.
• Additional information relating to the weighing of the fishery product which may be required for the landing declaration.

Additional guidance will be issued relating to these rules in due course.

4. Frequency of transmission of vessel position data

Article 23 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2196 (Implementing regulation - 2025/2196 - EN - EUR-Lex) places a requirement for increased transmission of VMS data from 2 hours to 30 mins in specific ‘fishing restricted areas’

• Where fishing activities are conducted within fishing restricted areas, including a 5-mile buffer zone around the fishing restricted area. The reporting frequency will be at least once every 30 minutes.

The MMO Fisheries Monitoring Centre are working closely with the VMS unit suppliers AST, to come up with a geo-fenced software update so the reporting rate frequency will be changed automatically. No action will be required from individual vessel operators. The MMO is still working with the European Commission and EU Member States to identify any further fishing restricted areas. Operators will be responsible for the additional costs associated with the increased transmission rates, once AST VMS terminals have been updated with the co-ordinates of the fishing restricted area.

From 10 July 2027 the VMS reporting frequency will be 30 minutes in all EU waters. No action will be required from vessel operators. Reporting frequencies will automatically change to every 30 minutes once a vessel enters EU waters and back to 2 hours once a vessel leaves EU waters.