Total fishing shutdown: boats moored and fish markets closed

Beginning on Monday, January 19th, all fishing guilds in the nation have announced a complete suspension of their operations, with boats moored and fish markets shut down. The new fisheries […]

January 16, 2026 2 Mins Read

Beginning on Monday, January 19th, all fishing guilds in the nation have announced a complete suspension of their operations, with boats moored and fish markets shut down. The new fisheries control restrictions imposed by Europe are a threat to the industry, and may even compel their demise.

At first, the strike was supposed to start on the 22nd. It was brought up, nevertheless, because a meeting that is very important to fishing’s future has also been postponed. The Ministry’s Secretary General of Fisheries, Isabel Artime, the President of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds (FNCP), Basilio Otero, and leaders from the fishing industry will now attend this conference, which is scheduled for Monday in Madrid.

What is absent from the sea

Brussels now wants boats to give very strict advance notice of their arrival at the docks and declare all species from the first kilogramme, which “demands a precision that does not exist at sea.” The experience of the first days of applying the new obligations confirms what the sector had been warning about from the beginning.

As a result, there is more bureaucracy involved in the task, a greater chance of penalties because of inevitable declaration errors, and—most importantly—a genuine risk to marine safety since the captain can be compelled to forego his or her responsibilities as a watchman and surveillance officer on the bridge.

The outcome of the meeting will determine how long fishing operations will be completely suspended. However, on at least Tuesday the 20th and Wednesday the 21st, complete stoppages are also feasible. As a result, fresh fish shortages at markets and fish markets may persist for most of next week.

Simultaneously, those sailors, captains, or representatives of fishermen’s guilds from throughout Spain are also free to travel to Madrid and peacefully assemble at the General Secretariat of Fisheries’ doors, where they will wait for the meeting’s conclusion and the advancement of the negotiations.

The industry calls for a quick fix, which includes doing away with the advance notice as it currently exists and essentially doing away with or loosening the catch registration system while implementing reasonable standards that are tailored to fishing realities.