Danish fishermen lost around a billion Danish kroner worth of fishing quotas in connection with Brexit

Danish Fishermen Welcome EU-UK Agreement on Access to British Waters, Citing Stability Despite Lingering Issues

DENMARK
Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 00:50 (GMT + 9)

Twelve-Year Secure Access Praised as Positive First Step Towards Normalized Relations, Though Lost Quotas and Sandeel Dispute Remain Unresolved.

Copenhagen – Danish fisheries organizations have expressed significant satisfaction with the newly announced agreement between the EU and the UK, brokered under the leadership of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Presented on Monday as an initial move towards normalizing post-Brexit relations, the agreement guarantees EU fishermen continued access to British waters for the next twelve years, a provision hailed by the Danish Fisheries Association Producer Organization and the Danish Pelagic Producer Organization for the stability and predictability it offers.

Svend-Erik Andersen, chairman of the Danish Fisheries Association, stated, "Stable framework conditions are always important for business. And we are pleased that the highest level in the EU recognizes that fishing is an important industry for all of Europe."

Danish fishermen incurred substantial losses, estimated at around one billion Danish kroner, in fishing quotas following Brexit. While this new agreement is acknowledged as a significant step in the right direction, the lost quotas have not been reinstated, and several unresolved issues persist.

Jens Schneider Rasmussen, chairman of the Danish Pelagic Producers' Organization, pointed to one such ongoing challenge: "We have a case ongoing about access to sandeel fishing in British waters, which the British closed for bird protection reasons. Here the British have lost the first round of arbitration, but we have not yet seen a solution to the problem. And today's agreement does not remove the possibility for the British to create obstacles for European fishermen in other ways."

Both leading fisheries organizations emphasized that a detailed review of the agreement is still pending. However, they generally expressed their satisfaction with any positive movement towards improved relations between the EU and the UK.

"Anything that can help normalize relations with Britain is welcome. That applies to us in the fishing industry, but I actually think we speak on behalf of the entire Danish business community here," commented Svend-Erik Andersen. "So let's hope that what we have seen today is the beginning of even closer cooperation with the British."

Related news:

• UK Nears Post-Brexit Defence Pact with EU as Starmer Yields on Fishing Rights

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