ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the United Kingdom’s participation in regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) – the intergovernmental bodies for international management of shared and transboundary fish stocks. Up until the 31 January 2020, the UK was represented on behalf of the EU in RFMOs. On leaving the EU and the Common Fisheries Policy, the UK Government was faced with the choice of which RFMOs it should choose to become a member of. The UK would need to apply for membership to these organisations as a Contracting Party in its own right, should it wish for vessels flying the UK flag to fish with the RFMOs regulatory area or for species managed by a particular RFMO. At time of writing, the UK has already done so for several RFMOs. This chapter therefore explores the legal consequences of the UK’s departure from the EU within international fisheries management structures.
