Spain considers increasing bluefin tuna quota in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean

The Secretary General for Fisheries in Spain, Isabel Artime, has met with more than 60 representatives from the fishing sector — including associations, companies, and regional governments — to discuss the review of the bluefin tuna quota for the 2026–2028 period.

Due to the recovery of this species, an increase in the quota is expected, and the Ministry is working on amending the royal decree that regulates the fishery for this species in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

This meeting precedes the 29th Regular Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which will be held in Seville from November 17 to 24.

One of the key topics of discussion at the meeting will be setting new bluefin tuna catch quotas for the 2026-2028 period, a highly relevant issue for the Spanish fishing sector.

Also, Artime stated that, "in the event of an increase in the current quota, we would be at the ideal moment to open the fishery to new fleet segments that have not been able to access it due to the previous state of the resource."

Finally, she highlighted the commitment to sustainability shown by both the fishing sector and public administrations, as well as the importance that the forthcoming changes will have for artisanal fleets and for mitigating the increase in accidental catches occurring in different fishing grounds.

Furthermore, a study conducted by the Balearic Oceanographic Center of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) in collaboration with the Norwegian universities of Bergen and Oslo links the survival of bluefin tuna larvae (Thunnus thynnus) in the warm, nutrient-poor waters of the western Mediterranean to their ability to adapt to a flexible diet.