New mandatory commercial names for fish and seafood from June 2026

Key data

If you own a fishmonger, a restaurant, a distribution company or work in the seafood processing industry, your labeling and menu must be updated from June 11, 2026. The General Secretariat of Fisheries has published the updated version of the official list of commercial names of fishing and aquaculture species admitted in Spain, in compliance with Regulation (EU) 1379/2013 and Royal Decree 1082/2025.

This resolution is not a recommendation: it is a legal obligation. The names you use to identify fish products on labels, signs, menus and commercial documents must match those listed in this official list.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution publishes the updated list of official commercial names valid throughout the national territory for fishing and aquaculture species. These are the only names that can be legally used in the labeling and marketing of fish products in Spain.

The list is structured in two complementary levels:

• National names: official commercial names valid throughout Spanish territory, published in this resolution.
• Complementary regional names: additional names recognized in each autonomous community within its territory. The autonomous communities maintain their complementary names temporarily until they publish their own updated lists.

The regulation expressly repeals the previous resolution of February 25, 2026, which becomes void from June 11, 2026. This means that any labeling based exclusively on the February list may have become outdated.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact of this regulation is operational and compliance-related: it does not establish new fees or direct regulatory costs, but non-compliance may result in administrative penalties regarding consumer information, with the corresponding economic sanctions according to consumer protection regulations.

The real costs for companies are those derived from adaptation:

• Updating labels and packaging: variable cost depending on the volume of product references.
• Updating menus and restaurant cards in hospitality and catering.
• Staff training for counter, kitchen and logistics personnel on the new admitted names.
• Review of commercial documentation: delivery notes, invoices, product sheets and management systems.

The risk of not acting is not just a fine: a health or consumer inspection that detects incorrect names can halt the marketing of entire batches and generate reputational damage.

Who does it affect?

• Fishmongers (markets, supermarkets, specialized shops): required to use correct names on price signs and labeling.
• Restaurants, bars and hospitality establishments: must reflect correct names on menus and cards.
• Processing industry: canneries, freezing plants, smokehouses and any company that processes fish species products.
• Distributors and wholesalers: required to use correct names in all commercial documentation and transport labeling.
• Marketers in general: any operator that puts fish or aquaculture products on the market.

Autonomous communities may temporarily maintain their own complementary names until they publish their updated lists. This is relevant for operators selling in regional markets with traditional local names.

Practical example

Imagine a fishmonger in Barcelona selling a species under a colloquial Catalan name not included in the national list. Until now it could rely on Catalonia's complementary regional name. With the new resolution, that regional name remains valid temporarily, but only until the Generalitat publishes its own updated list.

In parallel, if that same fishmonger sells the product under a name that appears neither in the national list nor in the current regional list, it is in breach of consumer information regulations from June 11, 2026. A consumer inspection could issue an infraction report.

The same applies to a restaurant that has a fish commercial name on its menu that does not match any of the admitted names: the menu must be updated to reflect the names from the new official list.

What should companies do now?

1. Download the updated official list published in the BOE (BOE-A-2026-12598) and distribute it to those responsible for purchasing, labeling and kitchen.
2. Audit your product catalog and compare each name you currently use with those admitted in the new list. Identify those that do not match.
3. Update labels, signs and menus replacing any non-admitted name with the corresponding official name.
4. Review commercial documentation (delivery notes, invoices, technical sheets) so that species names comply with the current list.
5. Consult with your autonomous community if you use complementary regional names, to find out if your autonomous community has already published its own updated list or if the previous names remain temporarily in force.
6. Train your team (shop assistants, cooks, warehouse staff) on changes in admitted names to avoid errors at the point of sale or in the kitchen.

Non-compliance may result in administrative penalties regarding consumer information. Acting before an inspection is always cheaper than acting after.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-12598