Incidental bluefin tuna catch 2026: obligations and risks for vessel owners

Key data

Vessel owners who incidentally catch bluefin tuna during the 2026 campaign have new obligations to fulfil as of 19 March 2026. The Resolución de la Secretaría General de Pesca (BOE-A-2026-6949) establishes the specific conditions for these incidental catches, distinguishing between two fleet types and operating areas.

The regulation does not govern directed bluefin tuna fishing, but rather catches that occur unintentionally while targeting other species. Precisely for this reason, the declaration and control regime is particularly strict: ICCAT requires full traceability of every specimen caught, even if caught accidentally.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution regulates incidental bluefin tuna catches for the 2026 campaign. It applies to two fleet segments with differentiated operating areas:

For each of these segments, the regulation sets out three key elements:

• Quotas: maximum limits for incidental catches permitted during the campaign.
• Notification obligations: communications that the vessel owner or skipper must submit to the competent authority when an incidental catch occurs.
• Declaration procedures: documentary records that must be maintained on board and submitted within the established deadlines.

All of this falls within the commitments Spain maintains with ICCAT, the international body that manages bluefin tuna conservation in the Atlantic. Non-compliance with these obligations is not merely a national administrative infringement: it can compromise Spain's position before ICCAT and affect the quotas allocated to the entire fleet in future campaigns.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact of this regulation is operational and compliance-related, not a new fiscal cost. However, the economic consequences of non-compliance can be very significant:

• Loss of fishing rights: the most severe penalty provided is the withdrawal of the right to fish, which halts the vessel's activity entirely.
• Administrative penalties: failure to comply with record-keeping and reporting requirements may result in sanctioning proceedings.
• Reputational risk before ICCAT: repeated infringements may influence the allocation of national quotas in future campaigns, affecting the entire fleet, not just the offending party.

From an operational standpoint, vessel owners must integrate the notification procedures into their working routine whenever an incidental bluefin tuna catch occurs. This requires crew training, availability of the relevant forms on board and awareness of reporting deadlines.

Who is affected?

This resolution directly affects:

• Owners of trolling vessels operating in the Northeast Atlantic and the Bay of Biscay during the 2026 campaign.
• Skippers of trolling vessels responsible for on-board declarations in those same areas.
• Owners of surface longline vessels operating in the North Atlantic during the 2026 campaign.
• Skippers of surface longline vessels responsible for recording and reporting incidental catches.
• Managers and advisors of fishing companies who must verify regulatory compliance across their fleet.

It does not affect purse seine fleets or vessels holding a directed bluefin tuna fishing licence, which are governed by separate specific regulations.

Practical example

A skipper of a trolling vessel that regularly operates in the Bay of Biscay targeting albacore accidentally hooks a bluefin tuna specimen during the 2026 campaign.

Under this resolution, the skipper cannot simply record the catch in the general fishing logbook. They must activate the specific incidental catch declaration procedure: record the specimen with the required data, notify the competent authority within the established deadline and ensure that the catch is attributed to the incidental catch quota allocated to their fleet segment.

If the skipper omits this notification or submits it late, the vessel owner is exposed to sanctioning proceedings that may culminate in the loss of the vessel's fishing rights, with the consequent economic impact on the entire vessel's operations.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify whether your fleet falls within the scope of application: confirm whether you operate trolling vessels in the Northeast Atlantic or Bay of Biscay, or surface longliners in the North Atlantic during the 2026 campaign.
2. Review current notification procedures: consult the full resolution (BOE-A-2026-6949) to understand the exact deadlines and formats required for declaring incidental catches for your fleet type.
3. Train skippers and crew: ensure that on-board personnel are familiar with the protocol to follow when an incidental bluefin tuna catch occurs, including what data to record and who to notify.
4. Prepare on-board documentation: have the necessary forms or recording systems ready before setting out to fish, as the obligation applies immediately from 19 March 2026.
5. Monitor your incidental catch quota status: track quota consumption throughout the campaign to avoid exceeding it, which could generate additional infringements.
6. Consult your legal advisor or fishing association: if you have doubts about how to apply the procedures to your specific situation, seek advice before an incidental catch occurs, not after.

Official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-6949