New EU Regulation for Swordfish in the Mediterranean: What Changes for Fishermen and Shipowners in 2026

Key data

Shipowners and fishermen catching swordfish in the Mediterranean have new rules to comply with. The Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1281, published on 24 August 2026, modifies Regulation (EU) 2019/1154 and updates the multiannual recovery plan for this species. Spain, with an active fishing fleet in the Mediterranean, must adapt its internal regulations and fleet management plans to these new provisions.

This is not a procedural regulation: the modifications can directly alter the operational conditions of the fleet, from the quotas that can be caught to the gear that can be used or the periods when fishing is prohibited.

What does this regulation establish?

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1281 updates the technical and management framework of the multiannual recovery plan for Mediterranean swordfish, which was originally established by Regulation (EU) 2019/1154. This is the comparison between the previous and new framework:

Important note: The text published on 24 August 2026 does not detail the specific numerical values of each modification. To learn the exact updated parameters (quotas, sizes, closure dates), it is essential to consult the full text in the EU Official Journal.

Member States with Mediterranean fishing fleets, including Spain, are obliged to transpose these modifications into their internal regulations and fleet management plans.

Economic and operational impact

The modifications introduced by this delegated regulation may have direct consequences on the profitability and operations of vessels fishing swordfish in the Mediterranean:

• Catch quotas: If reduced, the maximum volume of swordfish that can be marketed per vessel or fleet decreases, with direct impact on revenues.
• Minimum sizes: An increase in the legal minimum size means that more catches must be returned to the sea, increasing discards and reducing the economic yield of each fishing trip.
• Fishing gear: Restriction or modification of permitted gear may require investment in new equipment or changes in fishing strategy.
• Closed seasons: An extension of closed seasons reduces the days of activity per year, with the consequent impact on the vessel's annual turnover.
• Penalties for non-compliance: The regulation directly binds shipowners and fishermen. Non-compliance may result in administrative sanctions and loss of fishing rights, which represents a first-order operational and economic risk.

Who does it affect?

• Shipowners with vessels fishing swordfish in Mediterranean waters.
• Professional fishermen whose main or secondary activity includes catching swordfish in the Mediterranean.
• Fishing companies with Mediterranean fleet targeting this species.
• Fishermen's associations and producer organizations managing swordfish quotas in the Mediterranean.
• Regional and national administrations responsible for fisheries management in the Mediterranean (in particular, autonomous communities with Mediterranean coastline: Catalonia, Valencian Community, Region of Murcia, Andalusia and Balearic Islands).
• Advisors and consultants providing services to Mediterranean fishing sector companies.

Practical example

A shipowner with a surface longline vessel that regularly operates in the Mediterranean and has been assigned a swordfish quota for the 2026 campaign must, before going out to fish, verify three specific things derived from the new regulation:

1. Whether their assigned quota has changed compared to the previous campaign, since the regulation may have adjusted maximum catch volumes.
2. Whether the fishing gear they use (surface longline) remains permitted on the same terms or if there are new restrictions on line length, number of hooks or other technical characteristics.
3. Whether the closed seasons have changed, to avoid scheduling fishing trips on dates that may now be prohibited and thus avoid administrative sanctions or loss of their fishing license.

If the shipowner operates without verifying these changes and violates any of the new provisions, they are exposed to administrative sanctions and, in the most serious cases, loss of their fishing rights, which could paralyze their activity indefinitely.

What should companies do now?

1. Read the full text of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1281 in the EU Official Journal to learn the exact values of the modifications (quotas, sizes, gear, closures).
2. Compare the new provisions with the current operating conditions of each vessel: assigned quota, gear used, fishing schedule and usual catch sizes.
3. Contact the fishermen's association or producer organization to learn how the modifications are transposed into fleet management plans at national and regional level.
4. Review and update the company's or vessel's internal management plans to ensure compliance from the entry into force of the regulation.
5. Consult with an advisor specialized in fisheries regulations if any of the modifications significantly affects the economic viability of the activity or if there are doubts about the interpretation of the new technical measures.
6. Monitor Spanish internal regulations for transposition, as Spain must adapt its national regulations to these new European provisions.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601281