Spanish region says EU fishing policy threatens local catch, benefits Morocco

The Valencian regional government has warned that new European fishing regulations could drive locally caught Mediterranean fish off Valencian tables, replacing it with imports from countries such as Morocco.

The criticism comes as fishermen across the Valencian Community prepare for a strike to protest new catch-control obligations that entered into force earlier this month. The regional executive has publicly backed the protest, arguing that the measures threaten the survival of small-scale coastal fishing.

Miguel Barrachina, the regional minister for agriculture and fisheries and government spokesperson, said the new rules reflect a clear disconnect from the realities faced by fishermen at sea.

“These regulations make it practically impossible for our fishermen to work,” Barrachina said, arguing that the policy would result in Valencians consuming imported fish instead of locally caught Mediterranean species. He added that Moroccan producers operate under far fewer regulatory constraints.

Under the new system, fishermen are required to weigh and declare every species caught — sometimes up to 200 different types — while still at sea, and transmit the data up to two and a half hours before reaching port.

Barrachina said the requirement is unworkable for small vessels that operate close to shore. “Many boats are only 10 or 15 minutes from land,” he said, noting that the advance reporting time exceeds the duration of some fishing trips.

He also warned that completing detailed digital reports during rough sea conditions or bad weather poses unnecessary safety risks for crews.

The new Electronic Logbook system, known as the DEA, has been mandatory since Jan. 10. It removes the previous minimum catch threshold, requiring all species to be declared, and introduces additional geolocation obligations for certain vessels.

Fishing associations say the measures have increased bureaucracy, raised operating costs and heightened the risk of penalties, without delivering meaningful improvements in fisheries control.

Following a meeting with the region’s three federations of fishermen’s guilds, Barrachina called on Spain’s central government to suspend the most restrictive provisions and introduce a moratorium, warning that urgent changes are needed to protect local fishing and preserve Mediterranean seafood in regional markets.