Give Fishing Quotas To All, Says Think-Tank
Brexit was meant to save British fishing. Instead, our fishermen remain some of the country’s lowest earners, even as our coastal waters are systematically overfished.
79% of the British fishing fleet has no permanent quota, forcing small-scale fishermen to rely on unpredictable weekly or monthly handouts from a government quango.
To fix this, we should convert temporary handouts into permanent, tradable assets for all fishermen. This gives small-boat owners a secure asset they can borrow against, sell or pass down.
Currently, EU vessels also unfairly benefit from British conservation efforts, leaving UK fishermen to do the hard work while losing out on the returns.
While the Lancaster House Agreement, which locked in reciprocal EU access to British waters until 2038, makes reform tough, we could negotiate a proportional dilution of EU quota holdings to restore fairness.
By giving fishing quotas to all and challenging our unfair post-Brexit deal, we can finally give British fishermen the opportunities they were promised in the 2016 EU Referendum.
Brexit gave Britain a once-in-a-generation chance to take back control of its waters. Ten years on, Britain’s fishing industry is instead being hollowed out. Fishermen remain some of our country’s lowest earners, and unemployment among fishermen in under 10m vessels rose by 47% from 2008 to 2022.
Fish stocks have also been in a state of decline for decades. Today, half of Britain’s ‘top 10’ fish species are either critically overfished, overexploited or both.
This crisis has now reached supermarket shelves. In February 2026, Waitrose became the first UK supermarket to suspend domestic mackerel sourcing over sustainability concerns.
Right now, 79% of the British fishing fleet consists of under-10 metre vessels. Vessels under 10 metres have no fixed and permanent quota, instead receiving a weekly or monthly allocation from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
To fix this insecurity, the ASI’s latest paper, Plenty More Fish In The Sea, advocates giving all fishermen permanent quota rights (according to historic catch levels), regardless of their size. This would be the first time small-scale fishermen were granted permanent rights to the stocks they fish.
Alongside this, the paper calls for a relaxation of rules on trading and proposes introducing an electronic fish-stock trading platform, which would allow for more expedient transfers of quota and a more economically efficient allocation of stock.
But we also need to take advantage of Brexit. The Lancaster House Agreement (2025) locked-in EU access to UK waters until at least 2038. While fundamental reform of this agreement is unlikely, some changes can be made.
The ASI is proposing a measure to protect the ‘sustainability dividend’ of any improved stock health, resulting from policy decisions taken by the UK government. This means converting EU shares from a percentage of the quota to a fixed tonnage. So, when British conservation efforts cause stock health to improve, the EU’s share would be proportionally diluted.
By giving fishing quotas to all fishermen, not just the largest operators, and challenging our unfair post-Brexit deal, we can finally give British fishermen the opportunities they were promised in the 2016 EU Referendum, restoring the lifeblood of our coastal communities.
John Cooper, Conservative Member of Parliament for Dumfries and Galloway said:
“This paper provides sensible and pragmatic solutions that would give fishermen of all types a genuine stake in the stocks they safeguard. They would provide more flexibility in how quota is used, speed up trading between vessel owners, and truly reward sustainable fisheries management.”
“These policies have been tried and tested before. When New Zealand implemented something similar, their fish stocks became some of the most sustainable in the world, whilst their fishermen enjoyed safer employment in a more efficient industry. We can have this too.”
“Our fishermen and the communities from which they are drawn deserve better, and all those who agree should pay close attention to this paper and its challenging and innovative ideas.”
Max Bannerman, Reform UK MSP for Highlands and Islands said:
“Scotland lands the lion’s share of Britain’s fishing catch but was handed only a fraction of UK Government investment. Fishing communities in the North of Scotland have been shortchanged in favour of European fleets with a bad deal that was struck over their heads. It’s clear that Labour is not the fishermen’s friend.
ASI's report is right that any recovery in our waters must give priority to Scottish boats, and that our smaller vessels deserve a permanent, inheritable stake at long last. I welcome the report’s findings and contribution to a sensible Scotland-first fishing policy.”
Finlay Carson, Conservative MSP and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural & Environment, said:
“Scotland’s fishing industry is vital for our economy and livelihoods across our coastal communities but is being shamefully short-changed by the SNP and Labour governments.
Both of them are extremely disconnected from the reality facing our fishermen yet still believe they know best
This timely report must be carefully considered by SNP ministers who spent the last Parliament trying to kill off the industry with their plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas.
While we cannot support every recommendation being made, it is welcome to see such a respected organisation stand up for Scottish fishing.
It is time SNP and Labour politicians did the same and my colleagues and I will continue to hold them to account for their failing policies.”
James Hodgkinson, Research Associate at the Adam Smith Institute said:
“Fishermen were promised a ‘better deal’ with Brexit, yet through a lack of structural reform, and poor negotiations, the industry has been sold out. British fishermen work one of the country's most dangerous and worst-paid trades, while the stocks on which they depend is steadily depleted. These two realities should not be possible simultaneously.”
“Our fishing industry cannot remain an afterthought. By introducing true property rights, a fluid fish stock market, and vital protections for small-scale operators, we can restore sovereignty to British waters and allow our coastal communities to boom once again.”
Mitchell Palmer, Economist at the Adam Smith Institute said:
“Britain’s fishermen are underpaid, while Britain’s fishing stocks are over-fished. The two should not be possible at the same time.
By learning the lessons of New Zealand’s successful system, post-Brexit Britain can deliver a system that works for both fish stocks and fishermen. This report shows how.”
ENDS
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The Adam Smith Institute is one of the world’s leading think tanks. It was ranked first in the world among independent think tanks and as the best domestic and international economic policy think tank in the UK by the University of Pennsylvania. Independent, non-profit and non-partisan, the Institute is at the forefront of making the case for free markets and a free society, through education, research, publishing, and media outreach.