CEPESCA expresses its disagreement with the change in fishing net mesh sizes

The Mediterranean fishing sector has stated that the limited maneuvering room to recover fishing days, after a 79% reduction imposed by the Council of Ministers of Fisheries of the European Union last December, forces fishermen to comply with resignation to the change in the mesh sizes of the nets, as it is the only way offered by the compensation mechanism to recover all working days.

This was stated by the Spanish Confederation of Fisheries (CEPESCA) after the second meeting held on January 7 with Isabel Artime, Secretary General of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food (MAPA).

In fact, the sector continues to argue that these decisions will jeopardize the viability of many companies and, consequently, the jobs dependent on them, "given that the situation of many Mediterranean fishermen was already very precarious and these new measures will make it even more complicated," points out Javier Garat, Secretary General of CEPESCA.

In this context, CEPESCA reiterated on Tuesday, January 7 at the meeting the need to address a series of actions to mitigate this impact. Thus, it requested to guarantee the recovery of fishing days in light of the mandatory change of nets; to authorize 5 mm twines, promoting legislative changes to allow their use and relying on studies already conducted by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, which indicate that they do not harm the selectivity of the net at all.

Similarly, the sector requested the implementation of a surgical scrapping plan to adjust the fleet capacity to the available days and fishing opportunities, "so that those who are in the worst situation can leave the activity in the most dignified way possible," points out Garat.

The sector has also requested economic compensations through aid for lost profits to face the foreseeable loss of income that will occur with the change of the nets and, finally, to improve the management of fishing bans in different provinces and to achieve the best possible prices in the fish markets, adjusting the supply to the demand.

The Multiannual Fisheries Plan in the Western Mediterranean, in force since 2020, has resulted in an accumulated reduction of 40% in fishing days, in addition to restrictions on fishing gear and closures of areas. In December 2024, the Council of Ministers of Fisheries of the EU approved a new reduction of 79% of the days of activity, and the possibility of mitigating them partially or entirely through different compensation mechanisms.

For the sector, these measures represent an additional sacrifice after years of efforts to adapt to sustainability criteria. Cepesca has warned that, if this continues, without a balance between ecological sustainability and economic viability, these decisions could lead to the disappearance of many Mediterranean fishermen.

On the other hand, during the meeting, CEPESCA recognized the flexibility shown by the Secretary General of Fisheries to accept some proposals from the sector, such as that aid will be given to change the mesh sizes of fishing nets or that they will be certified by fishing inspectors for a year, extendable.

Finally, CEPESCA has requested to start working now on the modification of the regulation that regulates the Multiannual Plan of the Mediterranean in order to avoid a situation similar to the current one in December 2025. It also requests updating scientific assessments that confirm the improvement of fish populations, after five uninterrupted years of measures to reduce fishing effort and mortality, as well as for the protection of juveniles and breeders of certain species.