EU Recreational Fishing Reporting: A 2026 Update

30 March 2026

A recent newsletter from DG Mare unveiled RecFishing, a Union-wide digital system designed to simplify catch reporting and ensure the sustainable management of shared marine fish stocks through a clearer understanding of recreational fishing activities.

Mandatory Electronic Logging

Under the revised EU Fisheries Control Regulation, recreational fishers targeting sensitive species in EU waters are now legally required to log their activity electronically, regardless of whether they have a national licence or not. This harmonised approach ensures that data contributes directly to the long-term sustainability of European fish stocks.

Regional Implementation

Recreational fishers will report their catches using the mobile app made available in the EU country where they are fishing. Registration procedures differ across the 22 coastal EU countries: nine use national systems, while 13 (Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden) use the RecFishing mobile app.

To understand which measures are applicable, and how to register them correctly, recreational fishers should contact their national authorities, who can provide country-specific guidance as regards reporting rules and species lists. (In Spain, for example, boaters employ national systems like PescaREC.) UK boaters are only legally bound by the RecFishing app mandate when they are physically in EU territorial waters

Sensitive Species: A general indication

The 2026 regulations specifically target fish stocks that require closer scientific monitoring to ensure their survival. From 10 January 2026, any angler (aged 16 and over) must report catches of the following species:

• Atlantic, Channel & North Sea: European Sea Bass, Pollack, Bluefin Tuna, European Eel, and Cod.
• Mediterranean & Aegean: Bluefin Tuna, Dolphinfish (Mahi-mahi), Red Seabream, and European Eel.
• Highly Regulated: Species like Bluefin Tuna require specific authorisation even for catch-and-release, and all activity, including days where nothing is caught—must be logged on the same day.

The 12-Metre Rule

Skippers of vessels 12 metres or longer must now maintain haul-by-haul electronic logbooks when operating in EU waters. For UK boaters, this applies the moment a vessel enters EU territorial seas.

Vessels Under 12m

While larger vessels (12m+) have faced strict electronic reporting for years, the 2026 rules bring new, lighter-touch requirements for smaller boats:

• Smartphone Reporting: Masters of vessels under 12m are not required to install expensive Electronic Reporting Systems (ERS). Instead, they must use the free RecFishing app to declare their daily catches.
• Same-Day Deadline: For all vessels under 12m, the catch report must be submitted electronically before midnight on the day of the fishing trip, regardless of whether the fish were kept or released.
• Gear Marking: Even on small boats, any “passive gear” (pots or nets) must now be marked with the vessel’s registration (PLN). However, standard handheld rods and lines remain exempt from these marking requirements.

For more information, please visit the DG Mare site.

Roles for marinas and boaters

For anyone who has witnessed some of the tragic impacts of waste plastics or ghost fishing gear on marine wildlife, the good news is that there are various resources to help report sightings:

Ghost fishing gear & marine debris reporting apps.

• I Clean My Sea

This app is designed specifically for boaters out on the water. It was developed in the French Basque Country and is highly active in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. If you see a patch of floating plastic, you take a photo. icleanmysea.com

• Marnoba

This app was developed by Asociación Vertidos Cero to help boaters and coastal walkers track beach and sea litter. It uses the official EU master list of items, ensuring that data supports Spanish and European environmental policy. https://marnoba.vertidoscero.com/#enlace-app

• Fish&Click (Ifremer)

A European project focused on mapping the “inventory” of lost gear to help design biodegradable alternatives. It is very active in the European Atlantic arc and great for identifying specific net types. fishandclick.ifremer.fr