The European Commission has presented updates to its 2026 fishing opportunities proposal for the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
The commission said the proposal aims to balance conservation measures with social and economic considerations, seeking to continue the recovery of fish stocks under the Western Mediterranean multiannual management plan while maintaining fishing days at 2024 levels.
Scientific data from the Western Mediterranean indicates positive trends, such as recovering stock biomass and decreasing fishing mortality. However, the commission noted that most fish populations remain overfished.
Consequently, the proposal advocates for reductions in fishing effort to reach sustainable mortality levels, specifically targeting vulnerable stocks like Norway lobster populations in Catalonia and Sardinia.
To promote a balanced approach, the commission proposes scaling back initial reductions for fishers not targeting Norway lobster. Additionally, it suggests continuing the compensation scheme established in 2025, which allows fishers to implement additional conservation measures to recover fishing days.
The proposal also incorporates fishing opportunities aligned with the latest decisions from the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).
These measures cover catch and effort limits for key species, including small pelagic and demersal species in the Adriatic Sea, blackspot seabream in the Alboran Sea, turbot in the Black Sea, and deep-water shrimps in the Strait of Sicily, the Ionian, and Levant Seas.
The updates will be discussed at the Agrifish Council, where the council of the EU aims to reach a political agreement on the 2026 fishing opportunities.