Environmental analysis, economic study, and social impact form the tripod on which all measures from the European Commission must rely to ensure proportionality and scientific rigor. Despite broad opposition and attempts to chart the Fisheries Commission’s path against bottom fishing gear, the department led by Virginijus Sinkevicius moved forward without honoring these pillars. Regulation 2022/1614 was put in place to prepare the pier for a large portion of the Galician fishing industry, yet it did not rest on technical, economic, or social impact criteria. The regulation was adopted even though the information to back it up was not fully available, a point acknowledged in the accompanying report. Brussels is set to implement the measures.
In a zone spanning more than 16,400 square kilometers from the Bay of Cádiz to the Gran Sol along the Cantabrian coast, the ban on bottom fishing will take effect on 9 October. The plan is lacking a complete scientific mesh. The ICES advisory body notes that data quality is highly consistent in the Celtic Seas ecoregion, but the same confidence cannot be claimed for the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Peninsula ecoregion, which omits several known VME data sources. VME refers to vulnerable marine ecosystems that are both existing and likely to exist.
There is a clear gap in the knowledge underpinning this standard. The impact on fixed gear such as longlines, traps, or pots is especially pronounced. ICES summarizes in its extended advisory work that while the effects of mobile gear on the seabed can be quantified, fixed gear boats pose persistent challenges for assessment. The organization also notes that it cannot reliably measure the extent to which such activities constitute an ecosystem-wide effort. Scientists further remark that the benthic footprint and the effects of these gear types remain largely unknown. Even so, within seventeen days the execution law will take effect, backed by Sinkevicius and promoted by Charlina Vitcheva, the second in command. The potential impact touches around a thousand fishing boats linked to Galicia, including Gran Sol longlines, bonito fleets, coastal vessels, and small craft. Only a little over fifty days remain to pursue legal action against the measure.
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The lack of scientific knowledge revealed by the ICES report is not the only concern. The socioeconomic impact of certain features has not been evaluated. The fleet has been working to build a common front with Ireland, France, and Portugal. It is difficult to determine a clear preference because the socioeconomic implications remain unknown. Some fishery products regularly go to specific markets, and even if the effort level is not high, the economic importance to those markets can be substantial. VME conditions are described as lacking sufficient data, and observers could benefit from targeted training.
In areas totaling more than 16,000 square kilometers, closures affect vessels using bottom trawls, dredgers, bottom gillnets, bottom longlines, pots, and traps. A question arises whether traps will be allowed to operate in these zones if the depth does not reach 400 meters. The regulatory text posted on Monday provides no clear answer. It states that the ban on bottom gear applies to fishing activities at depths greater than 400 meters, yet it subsequently specifies that bottom gear will be prohibited throughout the listed areas, with coordinates spanning a lengthy document.
State Advocacy reviews the text to determine whether an appeal to the EC could be formulated.
According to the Fisheries Secretary-General, the Spanish government is legally examining the possibility of challenging the European Commission’s decision to close 87 regions of the northeast Atlantic to bottom fishing, though a decision has not yet been made. The ministry is weighing whether to pursue a formal appeal, while ensuring all appropriate processes are observed. The government continues to support the industry and plans to raise the matter with the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministerial Council in Brussels. The aim is to secure a timely response from the EC and to seek a solution that could suspend or modify the application in the affected areas.
In addition, the International Council for Marine Exploration, known as ICES, is expected to submit a review and a report in November that could influence the trajectory of the measures. The ministry warns that the final decision will come into effect on 9 October, and the fleet must comply with the new rules.
The meeting included shipowners, industry associations, and regional representatives from the Atlantic coast. A shipowners’ federation representative emphasized unity between the fishing industry and the governments involved, while refusing the EC resolution. The message was clear: the sector stands together in this challenge.
Formoso asks Madrid to pursue a legal battle against the regulation
Valentín González Formoso, secretary general of the PSdeG, urged the government to defend the Galician fisheries sector in Brussels against the bottom-fishing veto. He called on Spain to pursue both legal and political avenues to seek a suspension of the regulation and its application during ongoing deliberations in Brussels. The visit to Vigo was used to press the point that swift action is needed to protect the industry.