Reforms on Bottom Trawling Hit Alicante Fisheries
The EU has sharply curtailed the number of days allowed for bottom trawling, and the ripple effects are visible across catches. In Alicante province, the fishing sector reports a notable drop in landed fish after the new rules took effect in 2023. The decline reached about 25 percent when compared with four years earlier, translating to roughly 2,600 tons less fish. The sector has not seen relief from national authorities in Madrid, where officials have ruled out funding for scrapping part of the fleet.
From 2020 onward, the European Union has pursued a sustainability driven approach that includes deep cuts to bottom-trawling in the western Mediterranean. This year brought the most significant reduction yet. Initial expectations pointed to a reduction of around 15 fishing days, but the final plan sets a season limit of 125 days for Alicante to trawl with its 120 vessels, a drastic shift from the 240 days permitted before restrictions. For crews, the change represents a near annihilation of the levels of activity that once supported families and communities around the coast.
The reduction in fishing days is mirrored by a fall in catches. Officials from the sector note that Alicante’s fishing cooperatives closed 2023 with about 7,800 tons landed, far below the 10,400 tons recorded before the restrictions began. The downward trajectory has persisted over the past four years, aligning with Brussels decisions that came through vetoes and tighter environmental standards. The tightening has been gradual but persistent, reshaping the economics of the regional fishing industry.
The decline in catch value follows a similar pattern, though calculating precise losses is intricate. The overall value of the fishery depends on the species caught, market prices at the time of sale, and the total quantity landed. Still, estimates from multiple industry sources place losses near the ten million euro mark, a figure that weighs heavily on crews and purchasing power in local markets.
A second layer of stress comes from a perceived lack of consideration for the needs of fishermen. Cooperatives and regional authorities had proposed a fund to enable selective scrapping of the least profitable boats, especially older wooden vessels that face ongoing maintenance and insurance costs. The plan targeted around 32 boats in the Valencian Community, including 18 in Alicante, with the aim of redistributing fishing days among the remaining boats. The goal was a return to profitability by balancing days at sea with gear and management improvements that emphasize selective harvesting and better vessel upkeep.
Yet the plan failed to gain approval. It was defended recently by sector representatives and regional governments from Andalucía, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Murcia, and the Valencian Community in discussions with national ministry officials, but no agreement emerged. Juan Mulet, secretary of the Provincial Federation of Alicante Fishermen’s Co-operatives, explained that concessions offered were limited to higher bonuses and a modest increase in fishing days in exchange for stricter closures and the adoption of more selective nets and techniques. The sector views these measures as insufficient, given how the cuts have tightened profit margins and left many operators with little to no cushion. Fishermen have urged the ministry to implement a system that prevents workers from exhausting unemployment benefits when boats remain tied at the port due to the restrictions.
Today, the region remains focused on navigating a difficult economic landscape. Regional authorities continue to engage with national policymakers to explore options that could restore some stability for crews while maintaining commitments to environmental objectives. The conversation centers on how to preserve livelihoods, protect coastal ecosystems, and sustain the community-based networks that support fishing villages along the coast. The path forward will require careful balancing of conservation goals with the practical needs of the people who rely on these waters for their daily lives.