The Balearic Government and representatives of the fishing sector have formally expressed their opposition to the European Union’s 2026 catch quota for red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus). In a joint letter sent to Ramon de la Figuera, Director General for Sustainable Fisheries at Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, they requested that Madrid convey this discontent to the European Commission and advocate for individualised management of the Balearic fishing ground (GSA5). The request also calls for the complete removal of the quota, which they deem unnecessary.
Antoni M. Grau, Director General of Fisheries for the Balearic Islands, warned:
“The simultaneous and uncoordinated limitation of both fishing days and red shrimp quotas forces fishermen to operate closer to the coast, leading them to catch far more fish than they can sell.”
He further criticised the measure as contradictory to other management tools already in place, such as minimum catch sizes and regulated fishing days.
Scientific studies conducted by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) and presented to the Scientific Committee of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) in December 2024 confirm that red shrimp fisheries in the Balearic Islands were already being sustainably exploited in 2023, with forecasts pointing to further improvements if current restrictions continue.
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Balearic Government and Fishing Sector Challenge EU’s 2026 Red Shrimp Quota, Urge Spain to Defend Local Interests
The Government and fishing organisations argue that conditions have improved even more since then: drastic reductions in fishing days were implemented in 2024 and 2025, alongside new measures such as increased minimum mesh sizes and stricter size limits for red shrimp. Grau stated that, given these measures, fishing mortality in GSA5 should be “significantly lower than in 2023,” especially as no additional vessels from other regions have entered local waters.
The GFCM’s report also notes that other key species in GSA5, including white shrimp, Norway lobster, red mullet, common octopus, and thornback ray, are also being fished sustainably. According to Grau, this positive assessment reinforces the need for a Mediterranean management model based on differentiated geographic units (GSAs). He urged Spain’s General Secretariat for Fisheries to implement a regionalised management plan for Balearic waters, highlighting that such an approach is already partially in place for Pitiusan fishing grounds.
Finally, the Balearic Government and the fishing sector announced plans to draft a co-management proposal for trawl fisheries in GSA5 over the coming months, in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders. The goal is to prove that trawl fishing in the Mediterranean—and specifically in the Balearic Islands—can be both economically viable and environmentally sustainable. Once finalised, the proposal will be submitted to the General Secretariat for Fisheries, which has been invited to participate in its development process.