UK and EU Clash in Court Over Post-Brexit North Sea Fishing Ban

The UK's ban on sand eel fishing, aimed at protecting seabirds, faces legal challenge from the EU, testing post-Brexit trade agreements.

The UK banned sand eel fishing in its North Sea waters in March 2024, citing environmental concerns and the need to protect vulnerable seabird populations like puffins and kittiwakes.
The EU has taken Britain to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, arguing that the ban violates the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) by disproportionately targeting Danish fishing fleets, which account for 96% of the EU’s sand eel quota.
British lawyers defend the ban as based on the best available scientific evidence, emphasizing the ecological importance of sand eels in the marine food chain and denying claims of discrimination.
The case, the first formal trade dispute between the UK and EU since Brexit, could result in retaliatory trade tariffs on British exports if the EU prevails, with a ruling expected by late April.
The legal battle complicates UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's efforts to reset relations with the EU, as both sides prepare for broader negotiations on fishing rights and trade cooperation beyond 2026.