The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has announced that the Cantabrian and Northwest purse seine fleet can resume its anchovy fishery, following a 1,569-tonne increase in the quota allocated to Spain by the European Commission.
The reopening will allow the recovery of fishing activity, which was halted on August 11 after the fleet exhausted its provisional quota of 718 tonnes.
The new total quota allocated to Spain is now 2,287 tonnes. The measure is expected to provide stability for the sector, particularly for the more than 50 Galician vessels that are the main beneficiaries of this resource.
The European Commission has set the total allowable catch for anchovy in the West Atlantic waters off Galicia and Portugal at 22,871 tonnes for the period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, based on scientific recommendations from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea .
To ensure the availability of the quota throughout the campaign, weekly catch limits of 6,000 kilograms and 4,000 kilograms per vessel will be established, depending on vessel capacity and crew size. This measure was implemented at the request of the fishing sector itself.
