A vision of recreational fishing
I found a "funny" picture that sums up the situation, in my opinion, of how recreational fishing is viewed by those who make the laws.
For the 2025 regulations, there's always that administrative boundary of the 48th.
Bar regulations
- North 48th (zones 7d and 7e): closed from 01/02/2025 to 31/03/2025. Fishing/releasing authorized. Quota: 2 sea bass per day per angler from 01/01/2025 to 31/01/2025 and from 01/04/2025 to 31/12/2025.
- Release fishing authorized South 48th (zones 8a and 8b). No year-round closure, 1 sea bass per day per angler. Fishing-releasing authorized.
For these 2 zones, the mesh size is set at 42 cm, caudal marking mandatory, set nets are not authorized to catch or hold European sea bass.
When fishing from a boat, or even a kayak for those who have one, and once the quota has been reached, it is forbidden to store several catches in a tank before making a choice.
- In the Mediterranean, no closure, size fixed at 30 cm, no quotas (except in park and reserve areas, which have specific regulations).
For pollack (Pollachius pollachius)
- South 48th (zones 8a and 8b): fishing closed from January 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025. Fishing-releasing FORBIDDEN. And, for the rest of the year, 2 lees per day and per person with a catch size of 42 cm. Caudal tagging. Fishing/releasing PROHIBITED. It will be forbidden to release this species all year round... This is to avoid excessive mortality, according to scientists. This means that once the authorized quota has been reached, fishing for this species is prohibited.
- North 48th (zones 7d and 7e): closed from 01/01/2025 to 04/30 2025. Fishing-releasing FORBIDDEN, 2 yellow lees per day and per person. Mesh size 42 cm. Caudal marking. Fishing/releasing FORBIDDEN, it will be forbidden to practice fishing/releasing all year round for this species... This is to avoid excessive mortality, according to scientists. This means that once the authorized quota has been reached, fishing for this species is prohibited.
Personal remarks
I repeat, this regulation will not be ratified until it is published in the EU Official Journal at midnight on January 31, 2025. Yelloweye and sea bass regulations are likely to change during the year too, as the authorized quotas are joint quotas (professional + leisure), and as professionals are allowed to fish in winter (derogations, vessel size, gear used), they are obliged to report their catch totals to the EU by March 15, 2025. If the authorized quotas are reached, then recreational fishing will probably not be permitted on these species.
Other species, such as mackerel and horse mackerel in certain sub-zones, are likely to be subject to stricter regulations, again for the same reason: common quotas have been reached.
With these regulations, we are witnessing a confiscation of the resource, with recreational anglers unable to federate effectively, and therefore unable to make themselves heard. A collective was set up at the beginning of 2024, and if you're interested in defending our hobby, here's what you need to know the link to the article presenting COPERE.
