On 22 September, the European Commission adopted its proposal for fishing opportunities for 2026 in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. The proposal promotes the sustainable management of fish stocks in these areas and follows up on the political commitments made in the MedFish4Ever and Sofia Declarations.
On 1 January 2025, the Multiannual Plan (MAP) for demersal stocks in the Western Mediterranean entered its permanent phase, following the end of a five-year transitional period. For the second year of this permanent phase, the Commission proposes to maintain all sustainable fishing practices established under the MAP. These practices include regulating fishing effort for trawlers and longliners, setting catch limits for deep-water shrimps, and implementing a compensation mechanism for trawlers.
In the Mediterranean Sea, the proposal includes the measures agreed under various GFCM management plans in recent years, with specific provisions for blackspot seabream and deep-water shrimps, which will be updated after this year’s annual session.
In the Adriatic Sea, the proposal foresees the implementation of the GFCM MAPs for demersal and small pelagic stocks. It proposes continuing the application of fishing effort limits for demersal stocks, with the goal of reaching sustainable fishing levels by 2026. The proposal also includes the implementation of the permanent phase of the small pelagics MAP, which began in 2025. The GFCM is expected to adopt decisions on the further implementation of both Adriatic MAPs in November.
The Council is expected to discuss and reach a political agreement on the Commission’s proposal on 11–12 December. The regulation is expected to apply as of 1 January 2026.