Mediterranean trawlers share 1,815 unused fishing days

More than 500 bottom trawlers in the Mediterranean Sea can draw on a pool of 1,815 unused fishing days: Spain is moving days between boats so those running short can keep working until the end of the year. Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food published the decision in the Official State Gazette on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. It applies to the Mediterranean fleet in 2026.

The ministry calls this an “optimisation mechanism”. It takes days that some boats cannot use from their allotted share and makes them available to boats or groups of boats that would otherwise run out. The aim is to avoid leaving part of Spain’s fishing allowance unused while other vessels have to stop.

More than 500 of the fleet’s 549 bottom trawlers are due to benefit. The days are grouped by vessel length, and the pool will be updated every two weeks. European Union and Spanish fishing limits still apply. The ministry says the measure is also intended to support economic activity and jobs along the Mediterranean coast.

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com