55% of the Mediterranean bottom trawl fleet is now equipped with flying doors.
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has allocated 2,454 additional fishing days to the Mediterranean fleet for 2026 for vessels equipped with flying or semi-pelagic trawl doors, or other gear that reduces seabed contact.
This allocation, to be shared among 301 trawlers, represents an additional 3% of Spain's total fishing days and follows the conservation measures introduced last year to protect demersal fish stocks in the Mediterranean Sea.
According to the Ministry, these systems can reduce fuel consumption by up to 30%, improving both the environmental sustainability and the economic efficiency of fishing operations.
In light of these benefits, the General Secretariat for Fisheries is promoting their adoption by granting additional fishing days to vessels that install this technology.
In 2025, 192 vessels had adopted these technologies, meaning the number has increased by 57% in just one year. As a result, 55% of the Mediterranean bottom trawl fleet is now equipped with flying doors, highlighting the sector’s commitment to more sustainable fishing practices.
The remaining 7% of Spain’s allocated fishing days will be distributed at a later stage, providing an additional incentive for the Mediterranean trawl fleet. In addition, an optimization mechanism will be introduced from October to maximize the use of Spain’s total allocation of fishing days.
"The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food reaffirms its commitment to the Mediterranean fishing sector through the management of fishing days that recognizes and encourages the adoption of more sustainable practices, favouring those vessels that make an additional effort to reduce the impact of their activities on the marine environment," the statement reads.