Management measures applicable to some of the main fish species

Fish  

 

Megrins - Lepidorhombus spp

Minimum conservation reference size: 20 cm
Species subject to TAC / quota
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: mesh size ≥ 100 mm
Species subject to a multiannual plan for the demersal stocks, Regulation (EU) No 2019/472, of 19 march

Bluefin Tuna - Thunnus thynnus

Minimum conservation reference size: 30 kg or 115 cm (a)
Species subject to TAC / quota and a Recovery Plan: ICCAT
In Portugal there is no direct fishing and can be caught with surface longlines and frames

Azevia - Microchirus azevia

Minimum conservation reference size: 18 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size 65-69 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 60-79 mm, 80-99 mm and ≥ 100 mm

Whiting - Merlangius merlangius

Minimum conservation reference size: 27 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 80-99 mm and ≥ 100 mm
Species subject to a multiannual plan for the demersal stocks, Regulation (UE) No 2019/472, of 19 march

Axillary seabream - Pagellus acarne

Minimum conservation reference size: 18 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 100 mm

Common pandora - Pagellus erythrinus

Minimum conservation reference size: 15 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 100 mm

Anchovy - Engraulis encrasicholus

Minimum conservation reference size: 12 cm
Species subject to TAC / quota
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size 65-69 mm
Not referred in the regulation of gillnet fishing
Target species of purse seine fishing

Horse mackerel - Trachurus spp.

Minimum conservation reference size: 15 cm (b)
Species subject to TAC / quota (in zone 9 the TAC refers only to horse mackerel)
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size 65-69 mm and ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 60-79 mm, 80-99 mm and ≥ 100 mm
Target species of purse seine fishing

Chub mackerel / Mackerel - Scomber spp

Minimum conservation reference size: 20 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with 65-69 mm mesh
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with 60-79 mm, 80-99 mm and ≥ 100 mm mesh
Target species of purse seine fishing

Black seabream - Spondyliosoma cantharus

Minimum conservation reference size: 23 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 60-79 mm, 80-99 mm and ≥ 100 mm

Conger - Conger conger

Minimum conservation reference size: 58 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size 65-69 mm and ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 60-79 mm, 80-99 mm and ≥ 100 mm

Gilthead seabream - Sparus aurata

Minimum conservation reference size: 19 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size 65-69 mm and ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 60-79 mm, 80-99 mm and ≥ 100 mm

Eel - Anguilla anguilla

Minimum conservation reference size: 22 cm
Object of a Management Plan
Caught essentially in non-oceanic inland waters, with Portuguese artisanal gears like galrichos, chinchorro and Minhocada

Swordfish - Xiphias gladius

Minimum conservation reference size: 25 kg or 125 cm
Species subject to TAC / quota
Fished with longlines which also catches by-catch and other surface sharks
Rules for licensing and allocation of fishing quotas per vessel provided for in Ordinance No 90/2013, of 28 February, in its current version

Pouting or Bib - Trisopterus luscus

Minimum conservation reference size: 17 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size 65-69 mm and ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 60-79 mm, 80-99 mm and ≥ 100 mm

Red Seabream - Pagellus bogaraveo

Minimum conservation reference size: 33 cm
Species subject to TAC / quotaDepth species coverd by annex I of Regulation (EC) No 2016/2336, 14th of December
Caught mainly with longlines
Species subject to a multiannual plan for the demersal stocks, Regulation (EU) No 2019/472, of 19 march

Sea lamprey - Petromyzon marinus

Minimum conservation reference size: 35 cm
Fished mainly in non-oceanic inland waters, with staked gears and drift trammel nets
Closed seasons fixed under river regulations

Sole - Solea spp

Minimum conservation reference size: 24 cm
Species subject to TAC / quota
Captured essentially with trammel nets. Legitimate sole (Solea solea) can be targeted with gillnets of mesh size 80-99 mm and ≥ 100 mm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 70 mm
Species subject to a multiannual plan for the demersal stocks, Regulation (EU) No 2019/472, of 19 march

Black scabbardfish - Aphanopus carbo

Minimum conservation reference size: not applicable
Species subject to TAC / quota
Depth species of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 2016/2336, of 14th of December
Can only be fished with depth longlines by vessels with a specific license
The gear that is used also captures deep-sea sharks (Portuguese dogfish and Gulper sharks)
Species subject to a multiannual plan for the demersal stocks, Regulation (EU) No 2019/472, of 19 march

Hake - Merluccius merluccius

Minimum conservation reference size: 27 cm
Species subject to TAC / quota
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing - target species with mesh size ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing - target species with mesh size 80-99 mm
It can also be captured with hooks> 3.85 ± 1.15 cm long> 1.6 ± 0.4 cm wide
Species subject to a multiannual plan for the demersal stocks, Regulation (EU) No 2019/472, of 19 march

Sea bass - Dicentrarchus labrax

Minimum conservation reference size: 36 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 80-99 mm and ≥ 70mm Species subject to a multiannual plan for the demersal stocks, Regulation (EU) No 2019/472, of 19 march

Rays - Rajidae

Minimum conservation reference size: 52 cm with the exception of Undulata ray which is 78 cm
Species subject to TAC / quota
The capture of several species is prohibited
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 100 mm

Salmon - Salmo salar

Minimum conservation reference size: 55 cm
Captured in non-oceanic inland waters. Rare species. Catching it in some rivers is prohibited

Sardine - Sardina pilchardus

Minimum conservation reference size: 11 cm
Object of a Management Plan
Captured with purse seines
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: only by-catch up to 10% of the total on board

Sargos - Diplodus spp.

Minimum conservation reference size: 15 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size 65-69 mm and ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 60-79 mm, 80-99 mm and ≥ 70 mm

Mullet - Mullus surmuletus

Minimum conservation reference size: 18 cm
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size 65-69 mm and ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size 60-79 mm, 80-99 mm and ≥ 70 mm

 Anglerfish - Lophiidae

Minimum conservation reference size: not applicable
Species subject to TAC / quota
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh size> 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 220 mm, if more than 30% of the total catch on board
Species subject to a multiannual plan for the demersal stocks, Regulation (EU) No 2019/472, of 19 march

Blue whiting - Micromesistius poutassou

Minimum conservation reference size: not applicable
Species subject to TAC / quota
Rules applicable to Trawl fishing: target species with mesh sizes 55 to 59 mm, 65-69 mm and ≥ 70 mm
Rules applicable to gillnet fishing: target species with mesh size ≥ 100 mm

 

 

(a) With the exception of specimens caught by fishing vessels with longline(bait) and trawl fishing, in this case 8 kg or 75 cm.

(b) ) specimens between 12 and 14 cm in length may be landed, in accordance with applicable Community legislation. Not applicable in the waters of the Azores sub-area of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).