Key data
| Regulation | Council Decision (EU) 2026/1548 of 8 June 2026 — CELEX:32026D1548 |
|---|---|
| Publication | 7 July 2026 |
| Entry into force | Not specified in the published regulation |
| Affected parties | Shipowners and European fishing fleets, especially Spanish and French, operating in central Atlantic Africa |
| Category | Agriculture and Fisheries |
| Period of validity | 2025–2029 |
| Area of activity | Fishing grounds in central Atlantic Africa (waters of São Tomé and Príncipe) |
| Types of fleet benefited | Tuna and surface longline vessels |
Spanish shipowners with tuna or surface longline vessels operating in central Atlantic Africa have four more years of guaranteed legal coverage. The Council Decision (EU) 2026/1548, published on 7 July 2026, formally ratifies the Fisheries Partnership Protocol between the EU and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe for the period 2025-2029.
Without this agreement, European fleets would lose the legal framework that allows them to fish in those waters. The renewal avoids this legal vacuum and ensures operational continuity for a fleet segment in which Spain is one of the main Member States involved, along with France.
What does this regulation establish?
The Fisheries Partnership Protocol is the legal instrument that regulates access by European fleets to São Tomé and Príncipe fishing grounds. Decision 2026/1548 ratifies it on behalf of the European Union, giving it full legal validity for the period 2025-2029.
The elements regulated by this type of protocol are as follows:
| Regulated element | Description |
|---|---|
| Catch quotas | Maximum volume of catches authorized for European fleets in São Tomé and Príncipe waters |
| Authorized species | List of species that can be caught under the agreement (mainly tuna and associated species) |
| Technical conditions for vessels | Requirements that vessels must meet to operate in these waters (equipment, documentation, notifications) |
| Financial counterparts | Amounts that the EU pays to São Tomé and Príncipe as compensation for access to its fishing grounds |
| Support for local fishing sector | Clauses for development of the fishing sector in São Tomé and Príncipe included in the agreement |
| Sustainability monitoring | Mechanisms for monitoring the status of fishing resources to ensure sustainable fishing |
This agreement is a renewal of the previous framework, which implies continuity of the model already known by shipowners. It is not a new regime, but rather an extension and update of the access conditions already in force in the previous period.
Economic and operational impact
For Spanish and French shipowners, the main impact of this decision is positive and preventive in nature: without ratification, fleets would have been left without legal coverage to operate in those waters, which would have meant the halt of activity or diversion to other areas with greater competitive pressure.
The specific operational effects are:
- Continuity of fishing licenses: Tuna and surface longline vessels can continue to request and renew their access licenses to São Tomé and Príncipe fishing grounds under the new protocol.
- Four-year planning horizon: The 2025-2029 timeframe allows shipowners to plan fishing campaigns, fleet investments and supply contracts with medium-term visibility.
- Updated technical conditions: Vessels must verify that they comply with the technical requirements of the new protocol, which may differ in some aspects from those of the previous period.
- Financial counterparts charged to the EU: The cost of access to fishing grounds is borne by the EU through the payment of financial counterparts to São Tomé and Príncipe, not directly by shipowners (although these may contribute through license fees).
- Sustainability clauses: The agreement includes resource monitoring mechanisms that may affect assigned quotas if scientific studies detect overfishing.
Who does it affect?
- Spanish shipowners with tuna or surface longline vessels operating in central Atlantic Africa.
- French shipowners with activity in the same area, given that France is the other main Member State benefited by this agreement.
- Shipowning companies and fishing cooperatives from the Basque Country, Galicia and the Canary Islands, regions with greater presence in Atlantic tuna fishing.
- Fleet managers and logistics operators who coordinate the operations of these vessels (provisioning, transshipment, catch marketing).
- Legal and technical advisors specialized in international fishing law who manage licenses and regulatory compliance for these fleets.
- Fishing producer organizations that represent shipowners before European and national institutions.
Practical example
A Basque shipowner with two purse seine tuna vessels that has been operating in São Tomé and Príncipe waters since the previous protocol faces the following practical situation with the entry into force of the new 2025-2029 agreement:
His vessels need new fishing licenses issued under the 2025-2029 protocol. To obtain them, he must demonstrate that the vessels comply with the updated technical conditions of the new protocol (tracking equipment, catch notifications, crew documentation). Once the licenses are obtained, he can plan his fishing campaigns with legal certainty until 2029, knowing that the access framework will not change during that period.
If he fails to verify compliance with the new technical conditions and operates with expired licenses from the previous protocol, he exposes himself to sanctions for illegal fishing in the waters of a third country, with consequences that may include vessel detention and loss of catches.
What should companies do now?
- Verify the status of current licenses: Check whether current fishing licenses are issued under the previous protocol or the new 2025-2029 protocol, and when they expire.
- Review the technical conditions of the new protocol: Analyze the updated technical requirements (equipment, tracking systems, catch notification procedures) to identify whether vessels need adaptations.
- Request new licenses in advance: Initiate the application process for licenses under the 2025-2029 protocol through the General Secretariat for Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which manages applications from Spanish shipowners to the European Commission.
- Update campaign planning: With the 2025-2029 horizon confirmed, review the campaign plan, investments in fleet maintenance and commercial catch contracts.
- Consult a specialist advisor in international fishing law to interpret the specific clauses of the new protocol, especially those relating to quotas by species and conditions for embarking local sailors.
Frequently asked questions
Which Spanish fleets benefit from the fishing agreement with São Tomé and Príncipe 2025-2029?
The benefited fleets are mainly tuna and surface longline vessels from Member States such as Spain and France. In the Spanish case, shipowners with greater presence in central Atlantic Africa are concentrated in the Basque Country, Galicia and the Canary Islands. The agreement guarantees their legal access to São Tomé and Príncipe fishing grounds during the period 2025-2029.
What happens if a vessel operates in São Tomé waters without a license under the new protocol?
Operating without a valid license in the waters of a third country with which the EU has a fishing agreement constitutes a serious violation of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing regulations. The consequences may include vessel detention by São Tomé and Príncipe authorities, loss of catches and administrative sanctions in the flag State. Shipowners must ensure that their licenses are issued under the 2025-2029 protocol before beginning operations.
How long does the new fishing protocol with São Tomé and Príncipe last?
The new Fisheries Partnership Protocol has a validity period of four years, covering the period 2025-2029. It was formally ratified by the EU Council on 8 June 2026 through Decision (EU) 2026/1548, published in the Official Journal of the EU on 7 July 2026.
Who pays the financial counterparts to São Tomé and Príncipe for access to its fishing grounds?
The financial counterparts are paid by the European Union directly to the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe as compensation for access by European fleets to its fishing grounds. Shipowners do not directly assume this cost, although they may be subject to payment of individual license fees according to the specific conditions of the protocol.
Where do Spanish shipowners process fishing licenses under this agreement?
Spanish shipowners must process their license applications through the General Secretariat for Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which acts as the interlocutor with the European Commission for the management of licenses issued under the EU's fishing agreements with third countries.
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=CELEX:32026D1548