Fish species exempt from landing 2026: key points for vessel owners

Key data

If you have active vessels or manage a fishing association, this resolution affects you from 14 April 2026. The General Secretariat of Fisheries has published the annual list of species exempt from the landing obligation due to high survival capacity, in accordance with the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) Regulation. This list determines which catches can be legally returned to the sea and how they are counted in your quota.

The official reference is the Resolution of 14 April 2026 (BOE-A-2026-8400). It is published annually, so the 2025 list is replaced by this one for the current year.

What does this regulation establish?

The Common Fisheries Policy generally requires landing all catches of quota-regulated species. This rule, known as the total landing obligation, seeks to eliminate the practice of discarding unwanted catches at sea.

However, the CFP itself provides for an exception: when there is scientific evidence that a species has high survival capacity when caught and returned to the water, that species may be exempt from the landing obligation. This means that the fisherman can return it to the sea without committing an infraction.

The list published annually by the General Secretariat of Fisheries records exactly which species have this exemption recognized for each year. The key points established by the resolution are:

• Species included in the list may be returned to the sea without violating the total landing rule.
• The exemption is based on accredited scientific evidence of high survival of each species after capture and return.
• Catches of these exempt species do not count in the same way in the management of fishing quotas.
• The list is valid for the entire 2026 year.
• The resolution replaces the equivalent list published for the previous year.

To find out the complete and detailed list of specific species included, you must consult the full text of the resolution in the official BOE (BOE-A-2026-8400).

Economic and operational impact

This resolution has direct consequences in two areas: regulatory compliance and quota management. Both affect the profitability of fishing operations.

Quota management: Catches of exempt species do not count the same as others in quota consumption. This can allow vessel owners to optimize the use of their assigned quotas, preventing accidental catches of high-survival species from eroding the quota available for the target species of the campaign.

Risk of sanctions: Returning to the sea a species that is not on the exemption list constitutes a violation of the landing obligation. Sanctions in fisheries matters can be significant and also affect points in the licensing system. Operating without knowing the updated list is an avoidable risk.

Campaign planning: The list must be integrated into operational planning before each trip. Associations and vessel owners working with multiple species must verify which are exempt in 2026 to make correct decisions at the time of capture.

Who does it affect?

• Vessel owners of fishing vessels operating in fishing grounds subject to the Common Fisheries Policy.
• Professional fishermen working with species potentially included in the high-survival list.
• Fishing associations responsible for collective quota management and regulatory compliance of their members.
• Fishing sector companies with direct extractive activity or that advise vessels on quota management.
• Advisors and fishing fleet managers who must incorporate the list into their compliance protocols for 2026.

Practical example

Imagine a trawler that during a 2026 campaign accidentally catches individuals of a species included in the high-survival list published by this resolution. Because that species is on the list, the skipper can return those catches to the sea without violating the landing obligation.

Additionally, those returned catches do not consume quota in the same way as if they had been landed. This means the vessel can continue its campaign without unnecessarily reducing its available quota for target species.

If, on the other hand, that same species had not been on the 2026 exemption list, returning it to the sea would have constituted an infraction, with the resulting sanctions. Hence the importance of verifying the updated list before each campaign.

What should companies do now?

1. Download and review the official list: Access the full text of the Resolution of 14 April 2026 (BOE-A-2026-8400) to identify exactly which species are exempt in 2026.
2. Update campaign protocols: Incorporate the list of exempt species into the operational procedures of each vessel before the next trip, so that skippers and crew know which catches can be legally returned.
3. Review quota management: Consult with your advisor or fishing association how the new list affects quota counting in 2026, especially if you work with species that have historically generated accidental catches.
4. Communicate the change to associated vessel owners: Fishing associations must convey the information to all their members to ensure collective compliance and avoid individual sanctions.
5. Archive the resolution: Keep a copy of the resolution as documentary support in case of inspections, along with the list of exempt species in force for 2026.