Trawl fishing quotas Cantabrian Sea 2026: what changes for vessel owners

Key data

If you operate bottom trawlers in the Cantabrian Sea or in the Northwest fishing ground, your catch quotas for 2026 have just changed. The Resolution of 8 April 2026 from the General Secretariat of Fisheries modifies the resolution of 6 February 2026 that set the initial fishing possibilities for this fishing method. The impact is direct: each vessel has a new individual allocation and the mackerel stock MAC/8C3411 now has a definitive quota, with no possibility of upward adjustment later.

It is not a minor procedural change. It affects the operational planning of the fleet for the rest of the year and determines the maximum volume of legal catches. Those who do not adjust their operations to the new figures face serious administrative consequences.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution acts on two specific elements of fishing regulation for 2026 in the Cantabrian Sea and Northwest fishing ground:

Individual fishing possibilities are the maximum tonnes that each specific vessel can catch during 2026 in this fishing method and fishing ground. When modified, each vessel owner must verify their new allocation in the annex of the resolution published in the BOE.

The change from provisional to definitive quota in mackerel MAC/8C3411 is especially relevant: it eliminates uncertainty about a possible future increase and requires planning the rest of the campaign with that fixed ceiling.

Economic and operational impact

Changes in individual quotas have direct consequences on the profit and loss statement and operations of each fishing company:

• Catch planning: The volume of fishing authorized for the rest of 2026 is redefined. Companies must recalculate how many fishing trips they can make and which species to prioritize within their updated quota.
• Definitive quota for mackerel MAC/8C3411: With the possibility of upward revision closed, there is no room to expect quota increases for this stock. If the assigned quota is lower than commercial demand, the company must seek alternatives (quota exchanges, adjustment of active fleet) before exhausting the limit.
• Risk of early closure: Exceeding the assigned quota can trigger an early closure for the offending vessel, which halts its activity before the year ends and generates direct income losses.
• Administrative penalties: Non-compliance with quotas is an administrative violation in the fishing sector. The consequences go beyond the economic fine: they can affect the renewal of fishing authorizations.

From an operational perspective, the retroactive entry into force date of 8 April (two days before publication in the BOE on 10 April) means that any catch made between those dates must already be counted against the new quotas.

Who does it affect?

• Vessel owners of bottom trawl vessels authorized to fish in the Cantabrian Sea and Northwest fishing ground during 2026.
• Fishing companies that manage trawler fleets in this geographic area.
• Operations directors and fleet managers responsible for planning fishing trips and monitoring catches.
• Advisors and administrative managers of fishing companies that monitor quotas and regulatory compliance with the General Secretariat of Fisheries.
• CFOs and financial managers of companies in the sector that need to adjust revenue forecasts for 2026 based on new catch limits.

Practical example

A fishing company with two bottom trawl vessels authorized in the Cantabrian Sea set its campaign planning in January 2026 based on the initial quotas of the Resolution of 6 February. In mid-April, after the publication of this modification, it verifies that the individual fishing possibilities of one of its vessels have changed compared to the initial quotas.

If that vessel has already consumed part of its initial quota between February and 8 April, the remaining margin for the rest of the year is now calculated on the new definitive allocation. Furthermore, if that vessel has been assigned a quota for mackerel MAC/8C3411, it knows that this figure is now the definitive ceiling for 2026: there will be no upward revision in the coming months, so it must decide now whether to distribute those catches throughout the year or concentrate them in months of higher market prices.

Failing to act on this information and continuing to operate with February figures could lead the vessel to exceed its actual quota, with the consequent risk of early closure and administrative penalty.

What should companies do now?

1. Consult the annex of the Resolution of 8 April 2026 in the BOE to verify the updated individual quota for each vessel in the fleet. Do not assume that February figures remain in force.
2. Recalculate accumulated quota consumption from the start of the 2026 campaign against the new individual fishing possibilities, including catches made between 8 and 10 April.
3. Update the planning of fishing trips for the rest of 2026 based on the available quota margin after adjustment, especially for the mackerel stock MAC/8C3411, whose quota is now definitive.
4. Evaluate options if the quota proves insufficient: quota exchanges with other vessel owners, adjustment of the number of active trips or reorientation of catches towards other species within the available quota.
5. Document and file the new resolution together with the vessel's catch records, to have complete traceability in case of inspections or administrative requests.