Northern hake quota 2026: 35,202 t distributed among three groups for the Spanish fleet

Key data

Spanish fishing companies with activity in the Northeast Atlantic now have their northern hake catch capacity defined for the rest of 2026. The Resolution of June 9, 2026 from the General Secretariat of Fisheries sets the distribution of the WHB/1X14 quota, which amounts to 35,202 tonnes after incorporating inter-annual flexibility and exchanges with other EU Member States.

The regulation applies immediately from its publication on June 15, 2026. Shipowners must know which group they are classified in and what quota corresponds to them to plan their fishing campaigns.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution distributes Spain's northern hake quota from the Northeast Atlantic (code WHB/1X14) for the 2026 fiscal year. The total quota of 35,202 tonnes results from adding Spain's base quota allocation, inter-annual flexibility applied, and bilateral exchanges agreed with other EU Member States.

The distribution is structured in three groups, with differentiated allocation criteria for each:

The remaining quota volume not distributed among these three groups is reserved for exchanges with other Member States, which allows Spain to maintain negotiating flexibility during the year.

Relevant operational restriction: vessels from the Cantabrian Sea and Northwest can only operate in Spanish waters of zone 8b. This geographic limitation directly conditions campaign planning for that part of the fleet.

The resolution also expressly provides that individual allocations may be modified throughout the year depending on the evolution of quota consumption, which introduces an element of uncertainty that shipowners must monitor.

Economic and operational impact

The distribution defines the catch ceiling for each fleet segment during 2026. Exceeding the assigned quota implies risk of sanction and compromises the following year's quota, so internal consumption management is critical.

• Group I concentrates 56.8% of the total quota (20,000 t out of 35,202 t), reflecting the commitment to incorporate new high-performance extractive capacity.
• Group II receives 31.2% (11,000 t), with an allocation criterion that rewards the prospective factor (55%) more than historicity (45%), incentivizing fleet modernization and efficiency.
• Group III obtains 5.7% (2,000 t), with differentiated weighting that distinguishes between deep-sea trawlers and longliners (fixed gear), which can generate significant differences between vessels in the same group.
• The quota reserved for exchanges with other Member States represents the difference up to 35,202 t, and its eventual reallocation may expand or reduce group quotas during the year.

The possibility of modifying allocations during the fiscal year requires shipowners to continuously monitor quota consumption to avoid exceeding or underutilizing it, as both scenarios have economic consequences.

Who does it affect?

• New-entry freezer trawlers with high extractive capacity (Group I): the main beneficiaries with 20,000 t.
• Large trawlers and hake vessels (Group II): affected by the historicity (45%) and prospective (55%) criteria that determine their individual quota.
• Deep-sea and longline fleet (Group III): with differentiated weighting according to the fishing gear used (trawl vs. fixed gear).
• Vessels from the Cantabrian Sea and Northwest: with additional geographic restriction, limited to operating in Spanish waters of zone 8b.
• Shipowners and fishing companies with activity in the Northeast Atlantic that have registered any of these types of vessels.
• Advisors and fishing fleet managers who must plan campaigns and manage quota consumption during 2026.

Practical example

A shipping company with two large trawlers classified in Group II receives its individual quota calculated with the 45% historicity / 55% prospective criterion weighting on the total 11,000 t allocated to the group.

Suppose that, according to historical records and the prospective criterion, that company is entitled to 5% of Group II's quota: this would be 550 tonnes of northern hake for 2026. If one of its vessels operates in the Cantabrian Sea or Northwest, it is also limited to Spanish waters of zone 8b, which may condition the distribution of fishing effort among its vessels.

If during the year the General Secretariat of Fisheries detects that Group II is underutilizing its quota, it may reallocate part of those 11,000 t to another group or allocate them to exchanges with other Member States, reducing the available ceiling for that company.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify which group your fleet is classified in (Group I, II or III) and verify the individual quota assigned to each vessel according to the criteria published in the resolution.
2. Check if any vessel operates in the Cantabrian Sea or Northwest and confirm that its campaigns are limited to Spanish waters of zone 8b, as required by the regulation.
3. Implement a real-time quota consumption tracking system to avoid exceeding the assigned limit, with alerts when 80-90% of the quota is reached.
4. Monitor possible allocation modifications during the year, as the resolution expressly provides that quotas may be adjusted according to consumption evolution.
5. Consult with your legal advisor or fleet manager the specific impact of the historicity (45%) and prospective (55%) criteria on Group II's quota, to anticipate individual allocation.
6. Plan fishing campaigns for the rest of 2026 adjusting fishing effort to available quota, taking into account the possibility of reallocations resulting from exchanges with other Member States.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-13003