Marine Management Organisation
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UK fishing vessel licensing in external waters 2025
External waters fishing vessel licences allowing vessels to fish outside of UK waters in 2024 will expire at the end of this year. In the update below you can find the latest information on preparations by the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA) for 2025 and actions you may need to take now or in future.
European Union (EU) Waters
Existing holders of a UK external waters licence for EU waters will receive a licence for 2025 automatically. The UKSIA will issue the licence by email to the fishing vessel licence nominee by the end of the year. The list of vessels with external waters licences can be checked on the UKSIA website here United Kingdom Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and we advise that you check this list to confirm your vessel is appropriately licensed before undertaking any fishing activity outside of UK waters.
If you do not have a licence and intend to fish in EU waters you must apply using the application form here. You can apply at any time but you must not fish in EU waters until you are in receipt of a valid external waters licence issued by the UKSIA and your vessel appears in the list of authorised vessels United Kingdom Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Third Country and Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs)
Access to third country waters including Norway and Faroes, and international waters managed by RFMOs are subject to negotiations and annual consultations. These are ongoing and the UKSIA will issue further updates about how you can apply for a licence to access these waters once the discussions have concluded.
If your contact or vessel details have changed, you must notify your vessels licensing administration office.
Contact the UKSIA
We will be issuing further updates over the coming weeks but if you have any queries please check the UKSIA website for announcements and further details, or contact the UKSIA at UKSIA@marinemanagement.org.uk or call 02080265062.
Overview
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is acting as the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA) to issue fishing vessel licences on behalf of the UK sea fish licensing authorities of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to manage UK fishing vessel access to non-UK waters, and foreign vessel access to UK waters.
The UK is an independent coastal state and vessels from the EU and other coastal states wishing to access UK waters will require a fishing vessel licence issued by the UKSIA.
In addition to their UK licence, UK vessels require external waters licences to fish in waters outside of British Fishery Limits, including waters of the European Union and other coastal states such as Norway and the Faroe Islands, and in the waters of regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) to which the UK is a contracting party.
The UK fisheries authorities (Marine Scotland, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, Welsh Government and the Marine Management Organisation) remain responsible for the administration and management of UK vessel licensing within the UK EEZ.
UK Vessels
From 1 January 2021 vessels have been required to hold an external waters licence to fish outside of British Fishery Limits (UK EEZ). Before applying for an external waters licence, please check that the area you intend to operate is outside of British Fishery Limits. View the map. Access for UK vessels to Crown Dependencies (CDs) territorial seas is through the relevant CDs who issue these fishing licences.
General Provisions for UK vessels
Applications for external waters licences must include a valid email address to which the licence will be issued and, for vessels 12m and over in length, an International Maritime Organization (IMO) number. Vessels will not be licensed without this information. If you have not notified your Sea Fish Licensing Authority or the SIA of a valid email address, or your email address has changed, you must send this to your administration portalong with your vessel name, RSS number and PLN and we will update our records.
Vessels 12 metres and over in length must have an International Maritime Organization (IMO) number and permanently mark this in a visible place either on the ships hull or superstructure. If you do not already have an IMO number, you can apply for free at http://imonumbers.ihs.com. You must notify the UK SIA of your IMO number by emailing it to your administration port along with your vessel name, RSS number and PLN and we will update our records accordingly.
EU waters
Fishing by UK vessels in EU waters is subject to authorisation by the European Commission and requires a valid external licence issued by the UKSIA. The list of UK vessels has been published below with a copy of the licence conditions.
If your vessel is on the list but you have not received a licence please contact the UKSIA via the email address in the Contact the SIA section on this page.
If you intend to operate outside of British Fishery Limits and wish to apply for an external waters licence, please complete the application form and submit to the SIA via the email address in the Contact the SIA section on this page.
Access to Republic of Ireland 0-6nm
Northern Irish vessels are only permitted to access waters within 0 and 6 nautical miles of the territorial sea adjacent to the Republic of Ireland if expressly authorised at Part 1 section 3 of their UK external waters licence.