School of European anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) underwater in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Galicia, Spain.
Photo: Adobe Stock.
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food announced that the Cantabrian and Northwest purse seine fleet will be able to resume anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) fishery after the European Commission increased Spain's initial quota by 1,569 tons.
Following advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the European Commission has set the total allowable catch (TAC) for anchovy in zone 9a west - Atlantic waters off Galicia (Spain) and Portugal - at 22,871 tons for the period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
Of that total, 2,287 tons, slightly more than in the previous period, correspond to the Spanish fleet in the Cantabrian Sea and Northwest. Thus, Spain adds 1,569 tons to the 718 that had been provisionally allocated when the European Commission set a provisional TAC of 7,182 tons for the period from July 1 to September 30, 2025.
Spanish vessels had already reached that provisional quota of 718 tons, so fishing had been suspended since August 11. Now that the final TAC has been set, they can resume their activity.
According to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food release, the measure will generate stability for the sector, promote diversification, and improve productivity, especially for more than 50 Galician vessels based in A Coruña and Pontevedra, which are the main beneficiaries of this marine resource.
"Anchovy fishing is an essential activity for the purse seine fleet in the Cantabrian Sea and Northwest Spain, not only because of its commercial value, but also because of its contribution to the sustainability of the resource and the stability of the companies and crews that depend on this activity," the release emphasizes.
Thus, at the request of the sector itself, in order to guarantee the availability of the quota throughout the season, weekly catch limits of 6,000 kg and 4,000 kg per vessel have been established, depending on their capacity and number of crew members.
