The recreational fishing in Ibiza and Formentera is facing new limitations with the implementation of daily catch quotas for different species, including groupers.
The measure, promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment through the Directorate General of Fisheries, has been agreed with the island councils and the fishing sector within the Commission for Co-Management of Recreational Maritime Fisheries in the Balearic Islands.
The new regulation, published in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB), establishes restrictions for both individual fishermen and vessels, with the aim of regulating the activity and avoiding overexploitation of marine resources.
Limits on catches per person and per vessel
The resolution establishes two types of quotas: a daily individual quota and a daily vessel quota. In the case of the individual quota, the limitation affects submarine fishermen, land-based fishermen and recreational fishermen on boats. The quota per vessel will be applied regardless of the number of people on board.
For groupers (Epinephelus spp.), both in individual fishing and in boats, the limit will be one specimen per day. As for other species, the regulation establishes similar restrictions for sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), while in the case of dentex (Dentex dentex), it will be allowed to catch up to two specimens per person and three per boat.
The general director of Fisheries, Antoni M. Grau, has stressed that the decision has been taken with the support of the sector, which has demanded a greater role in the regulation of recreational fishing activity. “The main objective is to conserve the marine resources of the Balearic Islands through sustainable fishing and in which the sector is involved,” said Grau.
Possible future restrictions
The General Directorate of Fisheries does not rule out future modifications in quotas or the inclusion of new species under regulation, such as scorpionfish. The possibility of extending the restrictions will depend on the studies on the state of the marine populations and the consensus within the Commission for the Co-Management of Recreational Maritime Fishing.
In the Balearic Islands, recreational fishing has thousands of enthusiasts and represents an important economic and commercial movement. The regulation seeks a balance between the conservation of marine ecosystems and the continuity of this leisure activity. “Most recreational fishermen are committed to the preservation of marine resources and want to contribute to their sustainability,” Grau stressed.
