Interspecies quota flexibility 2026: which stocks can shipowners and fishing companies use

Key data

If you manage fishing quotas in 2026, this resolution defines the rules of the game for the entire year. The General Secretariat of Fisheries has published the official list of fishing stocks eligible for the interspecies flexibility mechanism, which allows using the quota of one species to cover catches of another. The regulatory reference is the Resolution of April 13, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-8353).

Not knowing which species are included in this list is like navigating without a chart: you can incur overfishing without knowing it or, conversely, waste quota that could have been legally redirected to another species with greater demand or actual catch.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution publishes two differentiated lists, both valid for 2026:

• List of stocks eligible for interspecies flexibility: Identifies which fish populations can be subject to the mechanism that allows Member States to use quota from one species to cover catches of another different species.
• Populations of main species subject to deduction: Identifies the main species whose quota can be deducted to cover retained species, in application of the European fishing control regulation.

The interspecies flexibility mechanism is not new: it is part of the European fishing control regulatory framework and is applied annually. What changes each year is precisely the list of eligible stocks, which depends on the status of populations and quotas assigned for that fiscal year. The 2026 resolution updates that list for the current fiscal year.

The application of this mechanism is direct: it does not require any additional procedure by the shipowner beyond verifying that the species in question appears in the published list and acting in accordance with the procedure established in the European fishing control regulation.

Economic and operational impact

The impact of this resolution is fundamentally operational and risk management. The consequences of not correctly applying the mechanism are direct:

• Risk of overfishing penalty: If a shipowner catches a species above their quota without using interspecies flexibility when the species is on the eligible list, they incur punishable overfishing under the European fishing control regulation.
• Loss of usable quota: If one species has unused quota and another is at risk of overfishing, interspecies flexibility allows redirecting that quota. Not knowing the list means missing out on that optimization lever.
• Campaign planning: The list of eligible stocks must be integrated into the planning of each fishing campaign from the start of the year. The sooner this information is incorporated, the greater the shipowner's room for maneuver to adjust operations.

From a business management perspective, this resolution is a tool for optimizing income and reducing regulatory risk. Companies that integrate it into their operational planning have a competitive advantage over those that ignore it.

Who does it affect?

• Shipowners with quotas assigned in 2026: They are the primary affected parties. They must verify which species from their usual activity appear on the list of eligible stocks.
• Extractive fishing companies: Any company with capture activity that operates with quotas in waters where the European fishing control regulation applies.
• Fishing brotherhoods: Insofar as they manage or distribute quotas among their members, they must know the list to properly advise their members.
• Advisors and managers in the fishing sector: Those who advise shipowners or fishing companies on regulatory compliance and campaign planning.

Practical example

Suppose a shipowner operating in the Northeast Atlantic has assigned quota for hake and cod for 2026. Halfway through the campaign, they have consumed 95% of their hake quota but still have unused cod quota, while their actual hake catches remain high.

If hake appears on the list of stocks eligible for interspecies flexibility published in the Resolution of April 13, 2026, the shipowner can use part of their cod quota to cover additional hake catches, thus avoiding a punishable overfishing situation. If they do not consult the list and do not apply the mechanism, they may face penalties for exceeding their hake quota.

This example illustrates why consulting the list published in the BOE must be a mandatory step in planning any fishing campaign in 2026.

What should companies do now?

1. Consult the complete list of eligible stocks in the full text of the Resolution of April 13, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-8353) to identify which species from your activity are included.
2. Review the quotas assigned for 2026 and cross-reference them with the list of eligible stocks to identify optimization opportunities and overfishing risks.
3. Update the 2026 fishing campaign plan incorporating information about which species can be subject to interspecies flexibility and which are the main species subject to deduction.
4. Inform the skippers and operational managers of the vessels about which species are on the list, so they can make real-time decisions during fishing operations.
5. Consult with the regulatory advisor in the sector if there are doubts about how to apply the mechanism in specific cases, especially in situations of shared quotas or multispecies campaigns.