The Government of the Balearic Islands has submitted a formal document of objections to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food regarding the new European Fisheries Control Regulation, specifically targeting the obligations linked to the Electronic Logbook (DEA), which the sector considers unworkable for the Mediterranean coastal fleet.
The objections, prepared by the Directorate-General for Fisheries of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment, highlight that the Balearic fleet mainly operates on trips lasting less than twelve hours, with daily departures and returns to the home port, nearby fishing grounds, and immediate marketing of fresh catches through fish markets.
In this context, the Balearic Government argues that the current system already provides real-time digital control of catches and traceability, making the new requirement to notify port arrival four hours in advance disproportionate and unnecessary.
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The Balearic Government submits objections to the Ministry over the new DEA regulation and supports the fishing sector’s protest
The document also warns that the high biodiversity of the Mediterranean results in vessels landing small quantities of many different species, significantly complicating accurate completion of the Electronic Logbook. Additionally, the obligation to stop at sea or at port entrances to sort catches and enter data increases fuel consumption and may create maritime safety risks.
Against this backdrop, the Director-General for Fisheries, Antoni M. Grau, will attend the protest scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the Palma fish market, coinciding with the sector’s strike, as a clear sign of institutional support for Balearic fishers.
Grau stated that “the Balearic Government stands firmly with the fishing sector and defends regulations adapted to the real conditions of our fleet. We cannot allow decisions taken in Brussels, without considering Mediterranean specificities, to endanger the economic and social viability of a strategic sector for the islands.”
He further added that “fishers already carry out exemplary work in terms of sustainability and catch control. It is unfair to burden them with additional bureaucracy that brings no real improvements and reduces the time they can dedicate to their work under safe conditions.”
Through these objections, the Balearic Executive formally requests the Ministry to establish exemptions for the coastal fleet that markets fresh fish on the same day, maintaining the obligation to submit the Electronic Logbook before landing, but without rigid deadlines that do not reflect operational reality.
The Regional Ministry will continue to work closely with fishermen’s guilds and federations to defend their interests before national and European institutions, aiming to ensure a sustainable future for fisheries in the Balearic Islands.
Finally, the Government has also expressed its support for recreational fishers, who are likewise affected by the reform of the Control Regulation, particularly regarding catch declarations. “Recreational fishing is part of our social and cultural fabric, and regulation must be proportionate and understandable, involving fishers themselves and avoiding an inquisitorial approach,” Grau concluded.