On September 16, 2026, the Commission adopted its proposal for fishing opportunities for 2027 for the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. The proposal promotes the sustainable management of fish stocks in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas and delivers on the political commitments made in the MedFish4Ever and Sofia Declarations.
This proposal will be complemented at a later stage, based on the results of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) annual session (24-30 October 2026) and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) advice for demersal stocks covered by the Western Mediterranean Multiannual Management Plan (MAP) - which is also expected in October.
On 1 January 2025, the Western Mediterranean MAP for demersal stocks entered into its permanent phase, following the end of a five-year transitional period. For the third year of this permanent phase, the Commission suggests maintaining all sustainable fishing practices established by the MAP. These practices consist of regulating fishing effort for trawlers and longliners, setting catch limits for deep-water shrimps and implementing a compensation mechanism for trawlers.
In the Mediterranean Sea, the proposal includes the measures agreed under the various GFCM management plans in recent years, with specific measures for blackspot seabream and deep-water shrimps to be updated after this year’s annual session.
In the Adriatic Sea, the proposal includes the implementation of the GFCM MAPs for demersal and small pelagic stocks. The proposal also includes the implementation of the permanent phase of several GFCM MAPs, namely common dolphinfish, demersal species in the Strait of Sicily and deep water shrimps in the Strait of Sicily, Ionian and Levant seas. The GFCM is expected to adopt decisions on the further implementation of all these MAPs in October.
In the Black Sea, the proposal includes catch limits and quotas for sprat and turbot. The Commission proposes to maintain the 2026 catch limit for sprat. For turbot, the levels of total allowable catches (TAC) and quotas are set in line with the provisions of the GFCM management plan.