Mallorca raor fishing opens: 50 fish limit, €151 fines

Raor fishing returns off Mallorca on Tuesday, 1 September, with a limit of 50 fish per person each day. The season covers the Balearic coast and runs until 31 March 2027. Anyone caught taking raor during the closed season faces fines starting at €151 for every fish.

The opening date also applies in marine reserves. The high-protection zone at Malgrats is the exception: raor fishing there remains banned until 1 October.

Checks step up as season begins

The Government of the Balearic Islands’ fisheries inspection service is increasing checks in the main raor fishing areas as the season starts. Its stated aim is to stop illegal fishing and uncover breaches of the rules.

The annual closure runs from 1 April to 31 August and is intended to prevent catches during the fish’s breeding period. Breaking the ban is classed as a serious fisheries offence, and the penalty can rise well above the €151 minimum depending on the circumstances.

Mallorca fish are bigger than in 1999

Researchers found overfishing in 1999, when the average size of raor was falling. The closure introduced in 2000 has since helped stocks recover and fish grow larger, according to studies by the Marine Research and Aquaculture Laboratory and the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies.

In the latest season assessed, raor directly studied by the Government of the Balearic Islands in Mallorca averaged 168 millimetres — 35 per cent bigger than the 124 millimetres recorded in 1999. Fish examined in 2025 weighed 70 grams on average, compared with 26 grams in 1999. The Fisheries Directorate expects results similar to 2025.

Catches in marine reserves must be logged and reported to the Balearic Islands’ Marine Resources Service, preferably through the Diari de Pesca app. In state marine reserves, fishers can use the Ministry’s PescaREC app. Since 2019, about 6,600 catch reports have been filed.

By number, raor is the most frequently caught species among recreational boat fishers in the Balearics. By weight, it accounts for 15.7 per cent of their annual catch.

Topics: Nature & wildlife · Sea & coast · Agriculture · Politics · Economy

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com