Negotiations in the EU over fishing days continue with little progress: "They are very difficult"

BrusselsTough and lengthy negotiations. Diplomatic sources had already predicted that the Council of the European Union on Fisheries and Agriculture It would be prolonged, and considerably so. The European Commission has proposed reducing trawling days in Catalan waters by 65%, leaving only nine days for all of 2026. This figure is unacceptable to the Spanish government, the Catalan government, and the fishing industry, who are determined to substantially increase it, even if it means offering compensatory measures.

The Spanish government maintains that negotiations are "progressing," but admits they are "very complex and difficult." In this regard, diplomatic sources point out that the two sides' starting positions are very far apart and that, this year, the base number of days proposed by the European Commission is even lower than last year. Last year, the European Commission initially proposed 27 days of fishing, and the Spanish government managed to extend this to 130 in exchange for requiring fishermen to install flying doors on their nets to avoid damaging the seabed and, among other measures, increasing the mesh size. This year, the Spanish government and Brussels are expected to agree on more similar initiatives, such as a ban on fishing in areas shallower than 600 meters and the expansion of protected areas. The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Luis Planas, has stated his intention to return to at least 130 days of fishing per year.

Eve Galimany:

"There is no relationship between reducing fishing days and the sustainability of the species."

To secure more fishing days, diplomatic sources indicate that Spain is seeking to join forces with France and Italy, which are also affected by the European Commission's cuts. In fact, Minister Planas met with his French and Italian counterparts on Thursday with this intention. This is a common alliance in these types of negotiations, and, for example, they already negotiated jointly with the European Commission last year.