Shellfish fishing sectors in Huelva and Galicia face regulatory and environmental uncertainty

The shellfish fishing sector in Spain is facing uncertainty due to different regional and international challenges. In Huelva, the Anamar fleet is concerned about the upcoming expiration of the fishing agreement between the European Union and Mauritania in November. Negotiations are currently delayed as Nouakchott seeks higher economic compensation from Brussels. This situation is compounded by biological pauses in octopus fishing, which have reduced effective fishing days in recent years.

In Galicia, the Consellería do Mar is working to extend the General Shellfish Exploitation Plan until December 31, 2029. This extension aims to provide legal stability and allow commercial bivalve populations to recover following a crisis in shellfish banks. The crisis was driven by severe storms and consecutive periods of decreased salinity in Atlantic waters, which led to significant mollusk mortality rates in various rias.

While the Huelva fleet faces the risk of losing access to historical fishing grounds if an agreement is not reached, the Galician authorities are focusing on environmental recovery and administrative stability to protect the local shellfish industry.