Spaniards want small-scale fishers to have more access to fishing, poll reveals
Press Release Date: May 26, 2025
Location: Madrid
Contact:
Emily Fairless | email: efairless@oceana.org | tel.: +32 478 038 490
As Spain prepares to launch public consultation on fishing quota allocation, Oceana calls for overhaul of current system
Small-scale fishers cause less harm to the ocean and contribute the most to local jobs, yet do not get access to enough quotas
Madrid – Spanish people overwhelmingly support a shift in allocation of fishing opportunities, acknowledge the unfairness of the current system, and strongly favour a greater quota share going to small-scale fishers and those whose practices protect the ocean. According to a new poll by YouGov published today by Oceana, Spaniards also want greater transparency on how the government distributes these quotas, as well as greater consideration of social and environmental criteria.
These views of citizens come at a critical time, as the Spanish government is about to launch a public consultation on a Royal Decree to develop fishing quota allocation criteria, as required by its law on sustainable fisheries [1]. Oceana considers this to be a key opportunity for Spain to overhaul its allocation system, ensuring it meets sustainability goals and better reflects public expectations.
Javier Lopez, Campaign Director for Sustainable Fisheries at Oceana in Europe, said: “Spain’s upcoming Royal Decree is a crucial opportunity to transform its allocation system, making it more transparent, socially fair, and environmentally responsible. We believe that Spain must progressively increase the weighting of social and environmental criteria, such as job creation and the impact of fishing on marine habitats, while progressively reducing the dominance of past catch history as the main allocation criterion. This transition would be aligned with citizens’ expectations and position Spain as a leader in Europe in this regard.”
The poll found that 87% of Spaniards want their government to give more fishing quotas to small-scale fishers, with 78% favouring fewer quotas for industrial vessel operators. Respondents to the poll stated they valued the importance of protecting local jobs (82%), minimizing harm to the ocean (81%), and providing fresh, local seafood (81%). On the other hand, for 76% of those polled, destructive and unselective fishing methods like bottom trawling are incompatible with a healthy ocean.
Small-scale fishers in Spain represent more than half of the fleet, account for almost a third of employment in the sector, and are vital to local economies. However, despite their important contribution to local communities and generally lower environmental impact, they receive only a fraction of the quotas (around 3%) compared to industrial fishers.
Marta Cavallé, Executive Secretary of the Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE), said: “Revising how quota is allocated both in Spain and throughout the EU is not only a matter of ensuring fair access to resources for already vulnerable small-scale fishers, but also a crucial step for their survival. The Spanish government must create a system that rewards those who fish with a lower environmental impact and contribute significantly to the social well-being of communities—while supporting a gradual, well-planned transition and creating genuine incentives for achieving sustainable fisheries.”
Transparency is also a key concern, with 83% of those polled keen for their government to be more transparent about how it allocates fishing quotas. Additionally, almost nine out of ten (85%) believe that small-scale fishers should play a bigger role in the decision-making process for quota allocation. Small-scale operators fish in coastal waters with boats less than 12 metres long, whereas industrial operators have larger vessels and often tow gear out at sea.
Currently, Spain predominantly allocates fishing opportunities to its fleet based on past catch history (how much fish a vessel has previously caught), largely disregarding social and environmental criteria. This system tends to favour industrial over small-scale vessels. It goes against Spain’s legal obligations under the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy and fails to promote fishing practices that are viable in the long term.
Note to editors:
[1] Sustainable Fisheries and Fisheries Research Act of 2023
