The campaign is being conducted aboard the Vizconde de Eza research vessel.
Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) have launched a research campaign to assess fishery resources and identify the marine environment of the Gulf of Cádiz.
The Arsa campaign will last 14 days and aims to gather data on the abundance indices and geographical distribution patterns of key demersal species of fishing interest, and the hydrographic characteristics of the area. These species include hake, octopus, Norway lobster, and white shrimp, which are fished using bottom trawl methods.
As a result, the collected data will be used by scientific staff in the relevant evaluation groups to issue recommendations for fishery managers, promoting the sustainable exploitation of these fish populations.
Additionally, samples will be collected to assess the abundance and composition of microplastics in surface water and hake for contamination studies. Finally, specimens of crustaceans, mollusks, and polychaetes will be collected and donated to the IEO's Marine Reference Collections.
The campaign, conducted aboard the Vizconde de Eza research vessel, is co-financed by the European Union through the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
The Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Luis Planas, announced that the purse seine fishing fleet in the Gulf of Cádiz will be allowed to catch 7,000 tons of anchovy in 2025, seven times more than in 2024.
Furthermore, the sardine quota was increased based on the results of scientific reports, and the 32-ton lobster quota agreed upon at the European Union (EU) Fisheries Council meeting was maintained.