US EditionEU countries agree 2026 fishing quotas, avoid tighter Mediterranean curbs
EU ministers agreed on 2026 fishing quotas with a 70% cut to mackerel for member states and a rollover of 140 fishing days, balancing scientific advice and economic needs.
- After two days starting on Thursday and into Saturday, EU fisheries ministers struck a deal finalising fishing quotas for 2026 and certain stocks through 2027–2028.
- Facing a Commission proposal to cut Mediterranean fishing days by 65%, France, Italy and Spain pushed back while Spain's Luis Planas called the executive's approach a "theatrical performance" on Thursday.
- Ministers accepted species-specific changes, including a 70% drop in mackerel, and reductions in blue whiting and boarfish, while increasing catches for megrims and Norway lobster.
- The Seafood Ireland Alliance warned Ireland will lose 57,000 tonnes next year, risking 2,300 coastal jobs and up to €94 million in economic impacts.
- The Hague Preference insurance mechanism was blocked for the first time in almost 50 years, while ministers urged tougher import bans amid NEAFC stalemates with Norway this year.
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29 Articles
As the distribution of fish evolves with the warming of the ocean, scientists recommend a sharp decline in catches. The European Union has given itself with difficulty on provisional quotas.
EU Finalizes 2026 Fishing Quotas Amid Tensions | Science-Environment
European Union fisheries ministers agreed on 2026 fishing quotas, averting stricter measures in the Mediterranean. Spain will maintain 143 fishing days in 2026 following resistance to proposed cuts. The deal includes changes to catch limits and fishing days across various seas, promoting sustainable practices.
On the night of Friday and Saturday, the countries of the European Union reached agreement on their fishing quotas in 2026, but they did not definitively resolve the question of the drastic decline in catches of mackerel.
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