Spain will fight for more fishing days in the Mediterranean than this year in the face of a proposal “from another planet”
Brussels – The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, assured this Thursday that he will fight for the Spanish fleet in the Mediterranean to have more days of activity in 2026 compared to this year, in contrast to the European Commission’s proposal “from another planet”, which cuts the 2025 working base by 65% to leave it at only 9.7 working days.
“With determination we are going to fight so that this year we achieve more possible fishing days than last year,” the Spanish minister insisted upon his arrival at the meeting with his European counterparts in Brussels for the allocation of total allowable catches (TAC).
From the EU capital, Planas stressed that the sector’s “effort” to implement conservation measures must be duly taken into account. According to the minister, “the effort is not infinite and creativity is not infinite,” so he emphasized that the “greatest effort that has ever been made in any fishing ground in the history of the common fisheries policy” must be rewarded and that the sector has good arguments to demand more working days in 2026.
This Thursday marks the start of the meeting of European Fisheries Ministers, who will debate a proposal from the European Commission that calls for more efforts from the Mediterranean fleet to reach the 2025 fishing days, around 130 days, and avoid the 65% cut. Last year, on top of the 130 days that Spain reached after applying compensatory measures, the Government managed to add 13 compensatory days after direct negotiations with the European Executive.
The head of Agriculture and Fisheries has argued that the Spanish fleet has already implemented important measures such as the introduction of flying doors on 200 vessels and the change of meshes in trawl fishing nets on more than 500 boats; therefore, he maintains that Brussels “cannot reset the counter to zero every time”.
“It makes no sense. What must be done is to take into account the effort that has been made,” said Planas, who warned of the “extremely difficult task” ahead with this negotiation, which will be delayed until at least Friday afternoon. (December 11)
