“Negotiations continue until the last second, we’re never satisfied,” stated the minister, speaking to journalists in Brussels.
“We always fight for the goal of having fishing opportunities that exceed what we actually catch and, while respecting sustainability, seek to minimize cuts as much as possible,” added José Manuel Fernandes.
Portugal’s priorities in this negotiation include sole, monkfish, and red seabream, commercially significant species for which the European Commission recommends cuts of 28%, 2%, and 3% respectively for the coming year.
“We do not submit,” emphasized the minister.
Apart from these cuts, the European executive’s proposal includes reductions in the catch of blue whiting (-26%) and 5% in horse mackerel.
Horse mackerel is expected to be reduced by 5% in Iberian waters (856,520), and plaice by 20% in 2026, 2027, and 2028 (99 tons).
Hakes and rays maintain the 2025 quota, while the quota of bluefin tuna is set to increase by 17% and sand eels by 12%.
While awaiting results of negotiations with Norway, José Manuel Fernandes noted that in Newfoundland, Canada—a member of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)—there is an increase of 800 tons in cod catches.
