The Director General of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Technological Innovation, Isaac Rosón, held a follow-up meeting this Friday with representatives of the fishing sector to evaluate the implementation and development of the Sardine Fishing Plan with Xeito Gear planned for 2026.
According to information provided by the Xunta in a press release, this is the second meeting held this year, corresponding to the second quarter, in which the fishing organizations that make up the xeito table participated.
The meeting reviewed the central points of the plan, approved for the period between January 1 and December 31, 2026, which regulates the capture of sardines (Sardina pilchardus) and sardinellas in waters under Galicia's jurisdiction.
Among the provisions included in the document are the capture limits set to ensure stock control (100 kilos per crew member on board per day, plus another 100 per boat per day) and to avoid depletion of the assigned quota, along with the maintenance of strict control over the minimum permitted sizes (11 centimeters).
Finally, it was decided to establish a capture limit of 80 kilos per crew member on board per day, to which another 80 kilos per boat per day will be added.
The plan also establishes the conditions for the use of the xeito gear. In this regard, it is determined that the mesh size must be between 23 and 40 millimeters. As for the maximum height, once the gear is rigged, between ropes or lines, the limit will be 16 meters. Furthermore, each net piece or panel must have a length between 70 and 100 meters, while the total length per vessel per day cannot exceed 1,000 meters.
The meeting also served to assess how the applied measures are working and to exchange information with the sector on the evolution of the campaign, "emphasizing the importance of reconciling fishing activity with the conservation of marine resources."
Currently, in Galicia, there are 412 vessels authorized to fish with this method. Resource availability has improved in recent years, with the Iberian sardine stock standing at over 445,400 kilos.