The UK's departure from the European Union marked a significant turning point for the nation’s fishing industry. In July 2026, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published a post-legislative assessment of the Fisheries Act 2020, offering a comprehensive look at the framework designed to navigate this landscape.
The origins of the Fisheries Act 2020 stem from government analysis conducted after the Brexit referendum. In July 2018, Defra released a White Paper titled Sustainable fisheries for future generations, laying out a vision for future fisheries management. After an initial bill fell due to the 2019 General Election, it was reintroduced in January 2020 and officially received Royal Assent in November of that year.
Operating as an Independent Coastal State
For 45 years, UK fisheries management beyond six nautical miles was dominated by the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The primary objective of the Fisheries Act 2020 was to establish a domestic legal framework allowing the UK to operate as an independent coastal state outside the CFP, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Because the Act was developed before the final terms of the UK’s departure from the EU were agreed upon, it was drafted as a "framework act." This means it provides overarching, UK-wide goals and structures, leaving specific day-to-day policy details and enforcement mechanisms to secondary legislation. It established a domestic system to manage shared access, determine fishing opportunities and Total Allowable Catch (TAC), and administer grants and charges.
Eight Core Objectives
At the heart of the legislation are eight high-level fisheries objectives that guide the approach to sustainable fishing and aquaculture across the UK:
The sustainability objective
The precautionary objective
The ecosystem objective
The scientific evidence objective
The bycatch objective
The equal access objective
The national benefit objective
The climate change objective
These principles form the basis of the policies set out in the Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS). While the first four replace equivalent objectives from the old CFP, the latter four reflect new domestic priorities.
Devolution and Joint Management
Under the old EU rules, the CFP was binding across all UK governments, limiting domestic divergence. Post-Brexit, England, Scotland, and Wales gained the ability to manage the majority of their fisheries independently (with Northern Ireland facing a more complex situation). This includes functions like vessel licensing and implementing local gear restrictions or closed periods.
To prevent significant regulatory divergence that could add costs to the industry or negatively impact fish stocks, the Act serves as a cornerstone of the Fisheries Common Framework. The legislation mandates the creation of two key mechanisms:
The Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS): A policy document setting out how the Secretary of State, Scottish Ministers, Welsh Ministers, and Northern Ireland's DAERA will achieve the eight fisheries objectives.
Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs): Published plans containing goals and measures for managing fish stocks that hold social and economic importance, face risks of over-exploitation, or have significant ecosystem impacts.
Looking Ahead
By updating existing laws like the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and removing obsolete CFP provisions, the Fisheries Act 2020 equipped the UK with the legal tools necessary to manage its waters independently.
Crucially, it extends powers to the devolved administrations, allowing them to tailor policy making and financial assistance to the specific priorities of their own seafood sectors, while still holding national fisheries authorities accountable to a unified, sustainable vision.
