Fishing is often framed as a promise to safeguard resources for future generations, especially when pressure mounts. Historically, Spanish shipowners showed early interest in protecting the marine resources they depended on, sometimes backing manifestos to justify their stance. Yet over time, their efforts were met with stricter protection measures than might have been expected, and the resulting regulatory shifts drew sharp critique. Critics have long argued that imposed constraints weighed heavily on their fleets, while the European Union remained active in supporting the fish it imports from nations governed by tighter environmental rules. These dynamics create tensions that affect the profitability of domestic fleets, a tension sharpened on October 9 by the entrance of inexpensive, less-regulated products and by the direct impact of Brussels restrictions on these ships.
That date marked the so-called bottom fishing veto entering into force, nearly a year ago. The regulation targets 87 North Atlantic zones where bottom fishing above 400 meters is barred, though it affects only 46 of those zones in practice since the remaining 41 lie deeper than the threshold and cannot be fished under the rule.
According to the latest report from the European Fisheries Control Agency, surveillance gear was deployed in the affected area from November to December 2022. A fixed-wing aircraft operated from Cork Airport in Ireland was stationed in Gran Sol waters for a total of 84 flight hours.
From these operations, 53 observations were logged by the aircraft. The aircraft carries a high-resolution camera that streams imagery in near real time to the operation’s coordination center. The activities helped ensure compliance with fishing restrictions in the designated sensitive marine ecosystems and supported the documentation process in case action was needed for possible follow-up on suspected illegal fishing. No such offense materialized.
EFCA has integrated the affected North Atlantic zones into the integrated maritime system and installed automatic behavior monitoring. Working with the Twenty-Seven member states, fisheries control facilities can now receive alerts whenever a vessel enters a closed area.
This year, the fixed-wing aircraft examined areas beyond the North Atlantic, including portions of the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean. The patrol fleet also included three vessels named Ocean Guardian, Ocean Protector and Ocean Sentry, complemented by drones and additional aircraft and computer equipment to support observation missions.
When planning patrols, organizers emphasize risk-based assessment and the identification of non-compliance threats. Airborne surveillance is deployed in zones or windows where it represents the most effective control mechanism, according to EFCA sources. The work continues from its Vigo headquarters, ensuring oversight across multiple sea regions.