– Talks with partners from Ireland are an important element of preparations for EU negotiations and allow us to better coordinate our actions – said Jacek Czerniak.

Fishing quotas before EU negotiations

During the meeting, the Ministers discussed the positions of their states in the context of the upcoming EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) meeting to be held on 11 and 12 December in Brussels. The talks included, among others, planned catch limits for 2026 and the situation in the North-East Atlantic, a key fishing area for the Polish deep-sea fleet.

Position of Poland

Secretary of State Jacek Czerniak stressed that Poland opted for setting quotas in accordance with the advice of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the principles of the Common Fisheries Policy. He pointed to the difficult situation of pelagic stocks and the lack of agreement between the Coastal States on the allocation of quotas for mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring, which affected the stability of exploitation of those stocks.

Simplification of the regulations

In reference to the evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy being prepared by the European Commission, the Deputy Minister pointed to the need to simplify the existing regulations. He stressed that the regulations should support the fishing sector, facilitate access to aid and avoid creating additional administrative burdens.

Flexible support for the sector

The interlocutors also discussed the issues of support for fishermen in situations related to limited resources, as well as the challenges of financing the sector in the current perspective 2021–2027, and in the upcoming programming period for the years 2028–2034. The need for greater flexibility in aid mechanisms to respond more effectively to changing circumstances has been highlighted.