Portuguese Autonomous Regions’ Tuna Boats Get Quota For 2025

The Portuguese autonomous regions of Madeira and Azores entered into a new agreement recently which allows their vessels to catch 110 tons of bigeye (per boat) annually. This was published in JORAM, the official gazette of Madeira, where legal notices and announcements for this region are made. Larger vessels will not be able to carry more than three tons in a 48-hour trip until March. They will be allotted a capacity of 16 tons per boat after that month. This value will decrease depending on the vessels’ compliance.

A spokesperson from the Madeira fisheries department said that the objective is to extend fishing for bigeye for a longer time throughout the year and also increase the value of the fish. He also added that tuna, below 10 kg, cannot be caught for sustainability reasons, reported Portuguese news sites. Officials stated that the latest decision was taken after talks with regional fisheries associations. Madeira and Azores are home to artisanal fishing boats, mainly pole-and-liners, that catch bigeye.