A bilateral agreement between the UK and Norway, signed on 17 December, provides UK fishers with additional fishing opportunities in the North Sea. The agreement allows for the exchange of fishing quotas and reciprocal access to demersal stocks like haddock, cod, and plaice, with Scottish fishers able to catch up to 30,000 tonnes of their existing quotas in Norwegian waters. The deal also includes access for North Sea herring in UK waters and Atlanto-Scandian herring in Norwegian waters, up to a cap of 20,000 tonnes. The 2025 arrangements mirror those from the previous year, which brought over £17m worth of access opportunities to UK vessels in Norwegian waters. Negotiations with the Faroe Islands are ongoing for further fishing opportunity exchanges.