More controls for recreational fishermen: they will have to use an app and report catches of protected species.

PalmRecreational fishers will have to electronically register and report their catches of certain species to the public administration starting January 10th. This includes not only catches brought on board when returning to port, but also those released back into the water. The species they will have to report are those subject to management measures (fishing bans, controls, and restrictions). The list of these species will be updated annually by decree, and, as the Director General of Fisheries, Antoni Grau, confirmed to ARA Baleares, "it's just a few." This new obligation, which the State had already announced, is now being implemented and will require fishers—there are approximately 50,000 licenses in the Balearic Islands—to report their catches to allow for effective monitoring of what they take from the sea when it comes to species subject to any type of measure. Furthermore, recreational fishers will have to be registered in the corresponding registry to access the platform where they must report their catches. The regulation stems from Regulation (EU) 2023/2842, which "amends the European fisheries control system and establishes that all recreational sea fishers must submit a daily declaration of their catches, including days with no results," explains the General Secretariat for Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Specifically, recreational fishers are required to report catches of species subject to European protection measures or management plans. To facilitate effective compliance with the new regulations, the General Secretariat for Fisheries has developed a mobile application. PescaRECwhich will be the only official channel for declaring catches and also for requesting specific authorizations, such as those relating to bluefin tuna fishing (Thunnus thynnusThis application, "available for Android and iPhone devices, will allow users to record catches or lack thereof each day, process authorizations to fish for protected species, and submit advance notices for bluefin tuna fishing," explains the same source. It will also offer useful information for anglers, such as photographs of species, national minimum sizes, lists of prohibited species, notifications about potential fishery closures, and administrative reminders. Of course, the system will only accept anglers who hold a valid recreational sea fishing license issued by an autonomous community or city with jurisdiction. Use of the application will be mandatory for all catches of protected species, both in inland and offshore waters, as well as for other species when fishing takes place in offshore waters. Autonomous communities may authorize the use of PescaREC Also in inland waters, with the aim of unifying the system and avoiding administrative duplication.

The Balearic Islands are prepared, according to the Government

The Director General of Fisheries for the Balearic Government, Antoni Grau, stated when it was announced that the State would impose this obligation that it "doesn't come as a surprise," since similar systems have been in place in the Islands for years, albeit only in specific cases. Currently, catch reporting is mandatory only within marine reserves, and therefore, the aim is to expand and extend the service to all licenses, provided the catches are of species subject to control. Brussels argues that this new system aims to improve the traceability and control of recreational fishing, which can have a significant impact on fish mortality in some species. The digital registry will allow for more reliable data to be obtained for the sustainable management of marine resources and the planning of quotas and closed seasons. In the coming months, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) will publish new national regulations with details on the application of this rule, as well as specific instructions for its use. Meanwhile, the ministry is requesting the widest possible dissemination of this information among nautical clubs, fishing associations, and users, to ensure compliance with the new European regulations from January 2026.