New report from the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean reveals significant advancements in sustainability, with overfished stocks at their lowest in a decade. The 2025 State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries report highlights that fishing pressure has halved in the past ten years, contributing to the recovery of key stocks. Aquaculture now accounts for over 45% of aquatic food production, reaching 940,000 tonnes in 2023.
In 2024, Spain's rainbow trout production reached 16,693 tonnes, a 13.1% increase from the previous year, indicating a cyclical recovery, though still below the early 2000s peak of over 35,000 tonnes. The sector has shifted from producing portion-sized trout to larger fish valued in the smoking industry, amid rising competition from lower-cost European producers.
The European Commission has updated its 2026 fishing opportunities proposal for the Mediterranean and Black Sea, emphasizing a balanced approach to conservation and socio-economic factors. To address overfishing, the Commission suggests reducing fishing effort and implementing measures for vulnerable stocks, particularly Norway lobster in Catalonia and Sardinia.
Five new projects aimed at enhancing scientific knowledge on fisheries have commenced, funded by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) with a budget of nearly €2.5 million. Priorities include increasing policy-oriented fisheries science, optimizing the use of scientific data, fostering collaboration between scientists and the fisheries sector, and sustaining the expertise necessary for high-quality scientific advice.