Fishermen consulted expressed their satisfaction with the campaign's progress

The Cantabrian Fleet Catches Nearly Half of Its Bonito Quota in the Biggest Campaign in History

SPAIN
Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

With a record quota of over 26,000 tons, Basque fishermen are optimistic after a strong start to the season, which contrasts with the disastrous horse mackerel campaign

SAN SEBASTIAN — The inshore fleet of the Cantabrian Sea has now caught nearly 47% of its North Atlantic bonito (albacore tuna) quota in what is shaping up to be the largest campaign in history, with a total of 26,000 tons allocated to the Spanish fleet for 2025. Data provided by the Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries Department of the Basque Government indicates that over 12,150 tons have been caught since the fishery began in late May.

Of this total, the Basque fleet has managed to catch over 7,100 tons, representing nearly 60% of all catches at the state level. This excellent pace allows fishermen to face the season with optimism, as they still have more than half of their quota available and hope to extend the campaign as long as possible.

Fishermen consulted expressed their satisfaction with the campaign's progress, which has maintained an average first-sale price at the market of 3.90 euros per kilo, twelve cents above last year's average. The Getaria guild, despite its boats being in port for the patron saint festivities, leads the landings in the Basque Country with approximately 2,000 tons, followed by Ondarroa with 1,800 and Hondarribia with 1,500. Bermeo and Pasaia have also recorded significant auctions.

This success stands in stark contrast to the disastrous horse mackerel season, which forced the Basque Government to implement aid of 800 euros per crew member to compensate for the losses of the small-scale fleet, which was only able to catch 35% of its quota.

Furthermore, the news mentions the start of a pilot project for fattening bluefin tuna in Getaria. Fifty bluefin tuna, weighing between 70 and 80 kilos, caught by the fishing vessel Kantauri, are in experimental cages under the supervision of the technological foundation AZTI. They will be fed sardines and horse mackerel until late October, when the results will be analyzed to assess the feasibility of a "commercial pre-scaling" with up to 1,000 specimens in 2026.

Finally, the Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Leandro Azkue, stated that, although the increase in water temperature is a reality, no significant changes are being observed in the behavior or migratory routes of the species caught by the Basque fleet. Nevertheless, the Basque Government is already preparing ports for the rise in sea level, reinforcing breakwaters and raising docks such as the one in Ondarroa.

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