Statutory Instruments
2026 No. 105
RETAINED EU LAW REFORM
SEA FISHERIES
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(1) (“the 2020 Act”) and section 15 of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023(2) (“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(3).
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(4) 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 fixing for 2020 the Regulation (EU) 2020/123fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters(5) 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.
Angela Eagle
Minister of State
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
5th February 2026
The term “the Northern Ireland Department” is defined in section 52 of the Fisheries Act 2020.
The term “relevant national authority” is defined in section 21(1) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.
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.