Sardine catch resumes following lifted fishing ban
It's a splashin' good news for Portuguese fleets! As of April 21, 2025, sardine fishing is back on the agenda, thanks to Claudia Monteiro de Aguiar, the Secretary of State for Fisheries. But this ain't no free-for-all – there's a limit to the number of sardines these fishing vessels can catch.
For the boats with a length of nine meters or less, the limit is set at 1,800 kg or 80 baskets. For those between nine and 16 meters, the limit shoots up to 3,150 kg (140 baskets), and for vessels longer than 16 meters, it's a whopping 4,500 kg (200 baskets). But the party's not over yet, as limits are adjusted for May and June.
From May 5, the limits shift. For the boats smaller than nine meters, the limit is 2,250 kg (100 baskets). Those between nine and 16 meters can haul in 3,938 kg (175 baskets), and for vessels beyond 16 meters, it's 5,625 kg (250 baskets). By June, the limits adjust once more: 2,700 kg (120 baskets) for the nine-meter-and-under crowd, 4,725 kg (210 baskets) for the boats between nine and 16 meters, and 6,750 kg (300 baskets) for the big guns over 16 meters.
But beware, during national holidays, all sardine-related activities – capturing, maintaining, unloading, or selling – are off-limits. And don't even think about unloading your catch at multiple ports during each day or transferring your sardines to a fish market other than the one corresponding to the port of unloading.
On that note, don't call it quits just yet! Sardine fishing had ended on December 4th, and with these new rules in place, it's time to gear up for a sardine-filled season ahead. Happy fishing!
Enrichment Data:Here's a brief rundown of the sardine fishing situation in 2025. The total allowable catch (TAC) has been set at 34,406 tonnes for the Algarve region only, with not-so-clear specifics for other Portuguese regions. There's a transition towards more robust, ecosystem-based rules to ensure sustainability and certification under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standards. Regular fishing bans may be implemented to protect sardines during sensitive periods, like the purse seine ban announced for June 21–23, 2025, in the Algarve region. Strict reporting of landings and close monitoring by authorities are standard practice to prevent overfishing.
The new regulations dictate that for the Algarve region in Portugal, the industry must adhere to a total allowable catch of 34,406 tonnes for sardine fishing. This season also sees a shift towards more sustainable practices, aiming for ecosystem-based rules and potential certification under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standards.
