Iberian sardine fishery rebounds, earns joint MSC certification

The sardine stock, vital to fishing fleets in Spain and Portugal, was on the brink of collapse in 2018. Scientists from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) advised shutting the fishery, but the two countries implemented a multi‑annual management plan instead. Measures included a six‑month seasonal limit, closure of selected zones, daily catch caps and a joint Total Allowable Catch split 66.5 % to Portugal and 33.5 % to Spain. The plan restored biomass, raising the 2021‑2026 catch to 51,738 tonnes, a 20 % increase.

In 2025 the fleets obtained a joint Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification for the Atlantic Iberian sardine, the first such joint certification. The label covers 317 vessels (132 Portuguese, 185 Spanish) and will remain valid until 2030. The success, highlighted in a new study commissioned by the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee, is presented as a model for transboundary fishery governance, emphasizing coordinated management to avoid unilateral actions that could undermine conservation efforts.