Portugal will fight unbowed for a good outcome on fishing quotas for 2026

BRUSSELS – The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, José Manuel Fernandes, stressed today that Portugal will negotiate until the end and without bowing down in order to have more fishing opportunities for 2026 than this year’s catches.
“Negotiations go on until the last second, we are never satisfied,” said the minister, speaking to journalists in Brussels.
“We always fight for the goal of having fishing opportunities greater than what we actually catch and, while respecting sustainability, seeking to minimize cuts as much as possible,” added José Manuel Fernandes.
Portugal’s priorities in this negotiation are sole, monkfish and red seabream, species of great commercial importance for which the European Commission recommends cuts of, respectively, 28%, 2% and 3% for next year.
“We do not bow down,” the minister further emphasized.
In addition to these cuts, the proposal from the European executive includes reductions in catches of megrim (-26%) and 5% in horse mackerel.
Horse mackerel should have a 5% reduction in Iberian waters (856,520) and plaice of 20% in 2026, 2027 and 2028 (99 tonnes).
Hake and rays maintain the 2025 quota and that of bluefin tuna should rise 17% and that of sand eels 12%.
While awaiting results from negotiations with Norway, José Manuel Fernandes reported that in Newfoundland, Canada, which is part of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), there is an increase of 800 tonnes in cod catches. (12/12/25)