Mediterranean bottom trawl fishing days 2026: final allocation per vessel

Key data

Spanish Mediterranean bottom trawl vessels now have their total fishing days allocated for 2026. The Resolution of September 28, 2026 from the General Secretariat of Fisheries completes a process that began at the start of the year and now closes with the distribution of the 7% reserve that remained pending. The result: 100% of the days that the European Union attributes to Spain for this fishing method are distributed among the fleet vessels.

For shipowners, this means that the year's activity margin is defined. For fishing guilds, it means that planning for the last quarter must now be done with these figures in hand.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution publishes the final list of fishing days allocated per vessel and per group of vessels for the year 2026. The allocation is structured in three cumulative tranches:

• 90% base: published in January-February 2026, constituted the initial allocation for the season.
• 3% additional: reserved for vessels that voluntarily adopted the use of flying doors or semi-pelagic gear, a measure to reduce impact on the seabed.
• 7% reserve: distributed now with this resolution, completing 100% of the Spanish quota.

Days are stratified by length category and by type of fishery. The categories are as follows:

Additionally, the resolution provides that surplus days not used between October and December 2026 may be redistributed among fleet vessels through the optimization mechanism established in Order APA/423/2020. This opens an opportunity window for shipowners who want to take advantage of days not consumed by others.

Economic and operational impact

The number of fishing days allocated is the main operational constraint for any bottom trawl vessel in the Mediterranean. Each unused fishing day is lost potential income; each extra day obtained—via the 3% flying doors or the redistribution of the 7% reserve—is additional productive capacity.

The concrete effects for the fleet are:

• Vessels with flying doors or semi-pelagic gear: have obtained 3% more days on their base quota. For a vessel with 150 base days, this means 4-5 additional days of activity.
• Fleet in general: now receives the 7% reserve, which increases the total available compared to the initial allocation in January-February.
• Last quarter 2026: days not consumed between October and December can be redistributed. Shipowners who have exhausted their quota can benefit from surplus days from other vessels.
• Cost planning: with the final allocation published, shipowners and fishing guilds can finalize planning for crews, fuel and logistics for the rest of the year.

Who does it affect?

• Shipowners of Spanish Mediterranean bottom trawl vessels, in all length categories (less than 12 m, 12-18 m, 18-24 m and more than 24 m).
• Fishing guilds on the Mediterranean coast that manage or represent this fleet.
• Fishing companies with bottom trawl fleet in the Mediterranean.
• Managers and advisors of sector companies that must plan activity for the last quarter of 2026.
• Vessels that adopted flying doors or semi-pelagic gear, which have the 3% additional recognized.

Practical example

A shipowner with a bottom trawl vessel of 20 meters in length (category 18-24 m) that voluntarily adopted the use of semi-pelagic doors during 2026 will have accumulated three blocks of days:

1. The 90% base allocated in January-February, which constituted the starting point for planning the season.
2. A 3% additional for the voluntary measure to reduce impact on the seabed.
3. Its proportional share of the 7% reserve now distributed with this resolution.

If at the end of October they find that they will not be able to consume all their assigned days before December, they can make them available to the redistribution mechanism of Order APA/423/2020, allowing other vessels in their group to take advantage of them. Conversely, if they have already exhausted their quota, they can request access to surplus days from others.

In any case, if they consider that the allocation received is incorrect, they have one month from publication (that is, until October 30, 2026) to file an appeal to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

What should companies do now?

1. Consult the final list: verify in the resolution published on September 30, 2026 the exact days assigned to each vessel in your fleet.
2. Check correct application of the three tranches: confirm that the 90% base, the 3% for flying doors (if applicable) and the 7% reserve have been correctly added.
3. Plan the last quarter: with the final allocation, adjust the programming of trips, crews and operating costs for October-December 2026.
4. Evaluate redistribution: if you expect not to consume all assigned days before year-end, activate the mechanism of Order APA/423/2020 to transfer surplus days or request additional days from other vessels.
5. File an appeal if necessary: if the allocation received is not correct, submit an appeal to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food within a maximum period of one month from September 30, 2026.

Official source

View complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-20376