/ 
Launched discreetly, the obligation to declare recreational sea anglers was due to come into force on January 10, 2026. It was based on a single application, RecFishing presented as the central tool of the system. But as soon as it was announced, the project showed its limitations. Technical problems, a vague timetable and questions of accessibility have left fishermen in a state of uncertainty, rekindling the debate on the practical implementation of European regulations that are still poorly adapted to the field.
An obligation postponed on the very day it comes into force
Scheduled for January 10, the obligation for recreational sea anglers to declare and register certain catches will not come into force on the announced date. The reason: the postponement of the application's launch RecFishing a digital tool designed to centralize these declarations. The application was put online, then withdrawn the same day. The authorities cite "technical reasons", with no precise timetable.
In the absence of a functional application, no reporting obligation can therefore be imposed on recreational anglers. The French Ministry of the Sea and Fisheries explains:
In the meantime, recreational sea anglers are not required to register or declare their catches. These obligations will only apply from the official launch of the application.
RecFishing, a central tool... but not yet available
The RecFishing application was designed to enable the registration of fishermen and the declaration of several sensitive species: sea bass, pollack, tuna, pink dolphinfish and dolphinfish.
This system is part of a European drive to better measure the impact of recreational fishing on fish stocks. In principle, the objective is clear. In practice, the tool is not ready. No alternative mechanism, particularly on paper, has been planned to ensure a transition. The application must work in the following EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. That's quite a challenge. But years of preparation and development should have been more than enough to avoid the dysfunction we're all familiar with.
A European logic that raises questions about inclusion
The project bears a strong European identity, right down to its name. The Anglicism "RecFishing" raises questions, both in terms of accessibility and the French legislative framework, the Toubon law requiring the use of French in public services. Added to this complexity is the absence of a non-digital solution. For many fishermen, whether they are confused by digital tools or simply don't want to use their smartphone for nautical activities, access to this obligation becomes problematic.
Given the inertia of the re-planning procedures at European level, with the number of countries involved, effective commissioning may not take place before the summer of 2026, or even much later!
