/ 
First information
Most of the 2026 fishing quotas have been revised upwards for both professional and recreational fishermen. This may be a sign that fish stocks are stabilizing or on the rise again, or it may be that the lobbying efforts of some have also had an impact... Whatever the case, there are two distinct zones on the west coast.
North of the 48th parallel
The imaginary line of the 48th parallel passes through Audierne in Finistère, below Brest. Above this line, in the North Atlantic, English Channel and North Sea, the sea bass quota is reduced to three fish per day per angler, and the pollack quota to two fish per day per angler. For the months of February and March, fishing remains authorized, but no-kill must be applied for sea bass, which is in the middle of its reproduction period.
South of the 48th parallel
Below Audierne, the sea bass quota is reduced to two fish per day per angler, and the pollock quota to two fish per day per angler. For the months of January, February, March and April, fishing remains authorized, but no-kill must be applied this time for pollock... Which seems quite complicated for fish caught at great depths! There are no restrictions for sea bass during reproduction.
Not definitive
The regulations adopted by the EU have not yet been published in the Journal Officiel, but they will not change. It should also be noted that France may decide on more restrictive measures for recreational fishing, but this is usually decided in February... So check regularly for any changes. These measures apply to both shore and recreational anglers. According to the latest estimates, there are 2.5 million recreational anglers in France.
Other important points: the mesh size for sea bass and pollock is set at 42 cm, and 30 cm for speckled bass (no quota). In the Mediterranean, there is no quota and the mesh size for sea bass is 30 cm. Not everyone is on the same footing!
Mandatory declaration
Finally, this year, recreational anglers over the age of 16 must register and declare their catches of sea bass, pollack, gilthead bream, red tuna and dolphinfish (Mediterranean) on the RecFishing application. At the same time, any fish retained must have the lower part of its tail fin cut off. These measures could lead to a change in regulations over the next few years.
