The challenge o pu ing an end o
ishing essel engine powe aud
in he Spanish Medi e anean
Engines
unde con ol
© OCEANA / Ángeles Sáez
© OCEANA / Kei h Ellenbogen
Table o Con en s
1.
5.
7.
8.
2.
3.
6.
4.
3
11
16
18
19
4
7
14
9
4
11
14
18
15
11
8
7
Execu i e summa y
Engine powe aud:
Compa ison be ween o icial and
uno icial da a
Challenges and solu ions o engine
egula isa ion: The ho sepowe ading
ma ke and ishing capaci y limi s
Conclusions
Re e ences and no es
O igin o he collapse o ishing in he
Medi e anean
Engine powe as a key indica o o
measu ing ishing capaci y
Ins alla ion and ce i ica ion p ocess:
How does aud occu ?
Regula o y amewo k
Inc eased engine powe and o e ishing
Me hodology
S eps o be aken and o ganisa ions in ol ed
Recommenda ions
How does engine powe aud occu ?
Resul s
Fishing capaci y, unde es ima ed as
a esul o engine powe aud
Impac o he Mul iannual Plan o Deme sal
S ocks in he Wes e n Medi e anean Sea
C edi s
Oc obe 2025
DOI numbe : 10.5281/zenodo.17159354
Sugges ed ci a ion: F esco Vanzini, I., & C uz Fo nós, J. A. (2025). Engines unde con ol. The challenge o
pu ing an end o ishing essel engine powe aud in he Spanish Medi e anean. Oceana.
This epo has been join ly de eloped by Oceana and Josep An oni C uz Fo nós, shipowne and
echnical manage o ishing lee s.
Pho os and illus a ions: © OCEANA and © Shu e s ock.
Design: Yago Yus e.
Views and opinions exp essed a e howe e hose o
he au ho (s) only and do no necessa ily e lec hose
o he Eu opean Union o CINEA. Nei he he Eu opean
Union no CINEA can be held esponsible o hem.
3
The ishing lee in he Spanish Medi e anean
has been acing a c i ical si ua ion o decades
ha h ea ens i s iabili y, bo h om an economic
s andpoin and in e ms o he sus ainabili y o
ma ine esou ces. Despi e an eno mous e o by
he ishing indus y and imp o emen s in he s a e
o ishe ies, especially since he in oduc ion o
he Mul iannual Plan o Deme sal S ocks in he
Wes e n Medi e anean Sea in 2019, low le els o
sus ainabili y and p o i abili y emain ala ming.
Among he ac o s ha wo sen his c isis a e a ious
i egula i ies, anging om he manipula ion o he
selec i i y o ishing gea o he sale o undecla ed
p oduc s. Howe e , he mos signi ican and
common i egula i y is aud ela ed o he powe
o engines ins alled on ishing essels. This ype o
aud no only comp omises he sus ainabili y o
species bu also causes se ious dis o ions wi hin
he indus y, leading o inequali ies and allowing
un ai compe i ion o hose who ope a e using
engines ha a e signi ican ly mo e powe ul han a e
pe mi ed by law.
This s udy ocuses on aud de ec ed in he awl
and pu se seine lee s, wo ishing me hods ha
equi e high engine powe o deploy and e ie e
ishing gea . Based on he analysis o 50 essels
in he Spanish Medi e anean, many i egula i ies
ha e been de ec ed, such as he manipula ion
o engine echnical da a shee s, he al e a ion
o engine powe limi e s, and non-compliance
wi h legal limi s on he maximum powe allowed
(904 ho sepowe o awle s and 455 ho sepowe
o pu se seine s since 2022).
1. Execu i e summa y
The e idence is o e whelming: 94% o he essels
analysed appea o ha e audulen engines,
wi h ac ual powe a exceeding he ce i ied
powe , and 20% o he essels di ec ly exceed he
es ablished legal powe limi s. In many cases, he
di e ence is no ma ginal, bu a he double, iple,
o e en up o eigh imes he powe decla ed in he
Fishing Flee Regis e . This si ua ion comple ely
dis o s he calcula ion o ishing e o , he
main managemen ool in he Medi e anean o
hese essels, and educes he e ec i eness o
managemen and conse a ion measu es, as he
o icial igu es se iously unde es ima e he eal
impac o ishing ac i i y on he ecosys em.
© OCEANA / Juan Cue os
© OCEANA / Ma a Ca e as
4
Fishing in he Medi e anean Sea as a whole is in
a c i ical s a e. Six y- i e pe cen o he s ocks
assessed in his egion a e subjec o o e ishing,
wi h some being exploi ed a le els be ween
wo o i e imes highe han he maximum
sus ainable yield.2 This is he esul o decades o
mismanagemen and a lack o e ec i e planning
o ensu e he sus ainabili y o he ishing sec o
and ma ine esou ces.
2. O igin o he collapse o ishing in he Medi e anean
Inc eased engine powe and o e ishing
The s udy is based on in o ma ion ob ained
h ough in e iews wi h ishe s, po s a , and
expe s om he ishing indus y, as well as
om echnical and scien i ic s udies, and o icial
documen s ob ained h ough eques s o access
o in o ma ion. The indings e eal a sys ema ic,
pe sis en p oblem ha is no limi ed o ishe s
bu also in ol es o he s akeholde s, including he
ishe ies adminis a ion, engine manu ac u e s and
ins alle s, and ce i ica ion bodies.
Oceana has been epo ing hese i egula i ies o
he ma i ime and ishe ies au ho i ies o yea s.1
Howe e , o da e, he adminis a ions ha e no
aken e ec i e measu es o co ec he si ua ion.
Despi e he widesp ead impac on ma ine
ecosys ems and public esou ces, engine powe
aud is s ill a aboo opic ha many p e e no
o b oach, ei he because o i s complexi y o he
di icul y o inding iable solu ions.
In his ega d, we ad oca e s eng hening
ishe ies con ol sys ems, adop ing an engine
egula isa ion p og amme, and implemen ing
e ec i e de e en measu es o p e en aud in
he long e m.
These measu es a e a key s ep owa ds ensu ing
ai e and mo e sus ainable ishing in he Spanish
Medi e anean. Wi h his epo , we aim o
con ibu e o a cons uc i e dialogue be ween
adminis a ions, ishe s’ guilds, and o he key
s akeholde s, in o de o ind iable solu ions o
he indus y and o he u u e o he sea.
Fo decades, na ional and egional
adminis a ions ha e ailed o ake he
necessa y measu es o p e en he cons uc ion
and ope a ion o mo e essels han ma ine
esou ces could sus ain.3 O e capaci y has
been pa icula ly se e e in he Medi e anean,
which is conside ed by he FAO o be he mos
o e exploi ed sea in he wo ld.2 No ha e
measu es been aken o p e en he des uc ion
o essen ial habi a s o species (such as
b eeding, nu se y, eeding, and mig a ion a eas)
and ishe ies managemen has ailed o adap o
echnological ad ances ha ha e inc easingly
allowed ishe ies exploi mo e emo e a eas, and
o do so mo e easily and p ecisely.
Al hough ecological de e io a ion and
species declines we e al eady e iden in he
1980s, echnological inno a ions managed o
empo a ily main ain ca ch le els, masking he
scale o he p oblem.4 Howe e , he ecosys em
has eached i s limi and ishe ies ha e shown a
clea downwa d end o oughly wo decades.
Nei he he mode nisa ion o he lee no he
expansion o ma ke s ha e managed o cu b he
loss o economic iabili y in he indus y, which
has su e ed a s eady decline.
© OCEANA / Juan Cue os
5
Be ween 2006 and 2023, he lee in he
au onomous communi ies wi h ishing ac i i y
in he Medi e anean ( he Balea ic Islands,
Mu cia, Ca alonia, he Valencian Communi y,
and Andalusia) expe ienced a signi ican
educ ion in size, going om 4861 essels
wi h a o al engine powe o 327 000 kW
(445 000 hp) o 3024 essels wi h a o al
engine powe o 264 000 kW (359 000 hp).
Al hough bo h a iables dec eased, he
educ ion was no p opo ional: while he
numbe o essels ell by 38%, o al engine
powe only dec eased by 19%. This di e ence
sugges s ha , despi e he demoli ion o
essels, he agg ega e p opulsion capaci y o
he ac i e lee emained high.
One no ewo hy change was he inc ease in
engine powe egis e ed be ween 2020 and
2021, om 201 866 kW o 265 792 kW.
This inc ease o mo e han 30% in engine
powe om one yea o he nex could be
ela ed o engine egula isa ion p ocesses.
E olu ion o he numbe o essels, egis e ed ishing powe , and ca ch olumes o he
pe iod 2006-2023
GT & KW
2006
G oss Tonnage (GT)
2010 2015 2020 2023
TOTAL ACTIVE VESSELS
300k
350k
250k
200k
150k
100k
50k
0 2000
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022
To al Powe (KW) To al ac i e essels
GT & KW
2006
G oss Tonnage (GT)
2010 2015 2020 2023
TOTAL ACTIVE VESSELS
300k
350k
250k
200k
150k
100k
50k
0 2000
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022
To al Powe (KW) To al ac i e essels
Figu e 1: His o ical eco d o he ma i ime ishing lee ac oss all yea s, in he au onomous communi ies o
he Balea ic Islands, Region o Mu cia, Ca alonia, he Valencian Communi y, and Andalusia, o all
ishing me hods.
© OCEANA / Ángeles Sáez
Sou ce: Minis e io de Ag icul u a y Pesca. (2024). Anua io de Pesca Ma í ima.
h ps://www.mapa.gob.es/es/es adis ica/ emas/es adis ica-digi al/powe bi-pesca

6
Un il he 2000s, mos shipowne s chose o
mode nise hei essels by ins alling mo e powe ul
engines o inc ease hei ishing capaci y, main ain
ca ch le els, and add economic alue o hei essels.
This mode nisa ion was made possible, o a la ge
ex en , by public aid and subsidies which acili a ed
he acquisi ion and ins alla ion o mo e powe ul
engines. Added o his was compe i ion among
essels; eaching ishing g ounds i s mean gaining
access o he mos aluable esou ces, con ibu ing
o a e i able ace o powe and u he in ensi ying
he p essu e on ishe ies esou ces.
In 2013, in esponse o an ecological and
economic c isis in ishe ies, he Eu opean Union’s
Common Fishe ies Policy (CFP) se as i s main
objec i e he es o a ion and main enance o ish
s ocks abo e le els capable o p oducing maximum
sus ainable yield. To achie e his, i commi ed o
se ing ishing mo ali y le els consis en wi h his
objec i e by 2020, wi h he aim o ensu ing he
long- e m sus ainabili y o comme cial species and
ishing ac i i y i sel . The CFP o ced a signi ican
es uc u ing o he indus y, wi h adjus men s o
ishing capaci y in an a emp o balance i wi h
he a ailable esou ces. Al hough he e is s ill
some way o go, he achie emen s o he CFP a e
undeniable, wi h an inc easingly sus ainable and
p o i able ishing indus y. Howe e , such p og ess
has come a a g ea cos , o cing many ope a o s
o educe hei ac i i y o , in some cases, o
abandon ishing al oge he .
Tonness
2006 2010 2015 2020 2023
25k
50k
75k
100k
125k
150k
130 700
119 094
105 225
105 820
100 288
103 505
78 985
82 999
78 467
76 415
81 774
86 851 87 443
75 928
65 636
61 059
61 657
53 071
0k
2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022
Ca ch olume ( onnes)
Tonness
2006 2010 2015 2020 2023
25k
50k
75k
100k
125k
150k
130 700
119 094
105 225
105 820
100 288
103 505
78 985
82 999
78 467
76 415
81 774
86 851 87 443
75 928
65 636
61 059
61 657
53 071
0k
2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022
Ca ch olume ( onnes)
Figu e 2: Tempo al end in ca ches by he Spanish ishing lee in he Medi e anean Sea
Ca ch olumes ha e also allen sha ply, om 130 000 onnes in 2006 o 53 000 onnes in 2023. In ecen
yea s, a signi ican educ ion has occu ed, which was necessa y o cu b o e ishing. This educ ion was la gely
due o he en y in o o ce o he Mul iannual Plan o Deme sal S ocks in he Wes e n Medi e anean Sea.
© OCEANA / Pila Ma ín
Sou ce: Eu os a . (2025). h ps://doi.o g/10.2908/FISH_CA_ATL37
7
The en y in o o ce o he Mul iannual Plan o
Deme sal S ocks in he Wes e n Medi e anean
Sea in 2019 has had a p o ound impac on bo om
awle s a ge ing deme sal species such as hake,
ed sh imp, deep-wa e ose sh imp, and No way
lobs e . Al hough he o e all objec i e o he CFP
was o achie e sus ainable exploi a ion le els by
2020, in he case o he Wes e n Medi e anean, he
deadline was ex ended o Decembe 2025. Despi e
his ex ension, he a ge is s ill a om being me .
As a esul , in Decembe 2024, he Council o he
Eu opean Union was obliged o app o e a d as ic
educ ion in ishing e o (measu ed in ishing days)
o 2025. In he case o he Spanish bo om awling
lee , he ini ial alloca ion was limi ed o an a e age
o only 27 wo king days pe yea . Howe e , as a
esul o he compensa ion mechanism app o ed,
Impac o he Mul iannual Plan o Deme sal S ocks in he Wes e n Medi e anean Sea
Fishing es ic ions a e no limi ed o se ing
To al Allowable Ca ches (TACs; i.e. he maximum
onnage o a gi en species ha can be ished),
bu also include he con ol o ishing e o
h ough egula ions on a lee and i s ac i i y,
such as he numbe o ishing days au ho ised. In
he Medi e anean Sea, whe e ishing is mos ly
mul i-species (i.e. a ious species a e caugh in
he same ope a ion), TACs a e seldom applied.
The main managemen sys em in his egion o
ishe ies wi h mul i-species gea s, such as bo om
awls, is he con ol o ishing e o .
Since he adop ion o he 2006 Medi e anean
Regula ion, and mo e ecen ly, he Mul i-
Annual Plan o Deme sal S ocks in he Wes e n
Medi e anean Sea in 2019, measu es o adjus
3. Engine powe as a key indica o o measu ing ishing capaci y
Reducing he o al numbe o essels
ope a ing in he egion;
Limi ing he ime a ailable o ishing (days
o hou s) o each essel;
Es ablishing ca ch limi s (TACs) o ce ain
comme cial species;
Res ic ing ishing ac i i ies in essen ial
ish habi a s.
Encou aging he use o mo e selec i e
and less ha m ul ishing gea s, such as by
inc easing he mesh size o ne s;
essels can main ain i ually he same numbe o
ishing days as in he p e ious yea i hey adop
sus ainabili y measu es such as imp o ing gea
selec i i y, educing impac s on he seabed, o
adop ing new ishing closu es. This si ua ion has
p o oked a s ong eac ion om he indus y,
which has exp essed i s dissa is ac ion h ough
demons a ions and s ikes.
Wi hou denying he huge e o s made by he
indus y o e he las i e yea s, un o una ely,
o e ishing con inues and esou ces a e s ill
a om sus ainable le els.5 Fu u e ishe ies
managemen in he Medi e anean mus ocus
on s iking a eal balance be ween he economic
iabili y o he indus y and he conse a ion o
ma ine ecosys ems.
© OCEANA / Juan Cue os
ishing e o o a ailable ishing oppo uni ies
ha e ocused on:
8
I egula i ies in engine powe , whe e he ac ual
powe o he engine ins alled is much highe han
ha ce i ied in he ishing lee egis e , se iously
dis o he sys em o ishing e o managemen , as
he ac ual ishing capaci y o a essel also depends
on he powe o i s engine. How is i possible ha ,
in a con ex o his o ical o e exploi a ion in which
ishing mus be d as ically educed, ha ac ion
is being aken o educe ishing e o bu no o
educe he ac ual ishing capaci y o he lee ?
How can i be ha no ac ion is being aken agains
he use o illegal engines, and ha i is e en
pe mi ed o inc ease he maximum pe mi ed
powe ? Simply pu , i is because his aud is
so widesp ead ha he solu ion is complex.
None o he ac o s in ol ed wishes o ake on
his esponsibili y and, in he end, he ishe ies
esou ces and he indus y i sel pay he p ice.
This s udy does no a emp o e o mula e he
calcula ion o ishing e o o capaci y, no o
analyse whe he he calcula ion me hod used is
he mos app op ia e om an equi able poin o
iew. I does, howe e , emphasise ha engine
powe is an essen ial pa ame e in any na al
enginee ing p ojec and mus be aken in o
accoun in any ishe ies managemen s a egy.
I is ue ha engine powe can be a mo e o less
ele an a iable depending on he lee segmen ,
he a ea o ope a ion, and he ype o ishe y.
Fishing capaci y, unde es ima ed as a esul o engine powe aud
Fo example, in goose ba nacle ishe ies, ha es ing
is ca ied ou manually on he ocks, and he essel’s
engine is used mainly o sa e y pu poses (i.e. o keep
he essel close o he coas and allow o a apid
esponse o ad e se condi ions). Ano he example is
ha o oc opus po ishe ies, whe e ishing capaci y
does no depend on engine powe , bu on he
numbe o po s ha can be legally deployed.
Howe e , in mos ypes o ishing, and pa icula ly
awling, i is undeniable ha engine powe
di ec ly in luences he speed, ime, and use o
ishing gea , as well as he size and weigh o
he gea ha can be used. The e o e, i is a key
ac o o calcula ing ishing e o and capaci y.
Unde es ima ing e o and capaci y will always
esul in unde es ima ing he eal impac o he
lee , which ine i ably leads o o e ishing.
These ini ia i es o limi ishing e o a e, howe e ,
di ec ly linked o essels’ ishing capaci y. Indeed,
he numbe o ishing days allowed mul iplies hei
impac depending on he size, engine powe , and
cha ac e is ics o each essel.
The ishing capaci y o a essel is in luenced by
a ious ac o s, o which he ollowing a e he
mos widely accep ed in he scien i ic and echnical
li e a u e and by ishe ies manage s:
The size o he essel, measu ed in g oss
onnage (GT);
The powe o he engine ins alled on he
essel, measu ed in kilowa s (kW) o
ho sepowe (hp);
The ypes, models, and sizes o he ishing
gea used, such as ne s, longlines, pu se
seines, o awls, among o he s.
O he abo e a iables, engine powe is a key
indica o o a essel’s ishing capaci y, as i di ec ly
in luences i s e iciency, ange, and ca ching
po en ial. S udies such as hose by he Eu opean
Commission6 and Eigaa d e al,7 con i m ha he
ela ionship be ween engine powe and ca ching
capaci y is clea , pa icula ly in bo om awl ishing.
Engine powe ansla es di ec ly in o h us
capaci y, esul ing in highe maximum na iga ion
speeds and allowing he use o la ge and hea ie
gea . Fas e na iga ion speeds allow essels o a el
mo e quickly be ween ishing g ounds and po s,
while as e speeds while ishing and he deploymen
o la ge gea allow essels o ish ac oss a g ea e
olume o wa e o a b oade a ea o he seabed.
Despi e his, and he measu es ha ha e been
adop ed o educe ishing e o , a key obs acle o
achie ing uly sus ainable exploi a ion o ma ine
esou ces con inues o be igno ed: aud in essel
engine powe .
© OCEANA / Ca los Suá ez
9
The con ol o engine powe is egula ed by a
se o Eu opean and na ional egula ions ha
es ablish ce i ica ion and e i ica ion p ocedu es
o ensu e ha ishing capaci y complies wi h
au ho ised limi s.
A he Eu opean le el, Regula ion 1224/2009
on ishe ies con ol es ablishes ha i “shall be
p ohibi ed o ish wi h a ishing essel ha is equipped
wi h an engine he powe o which exceeds he one
es ablished in he ishing licence” (A icle 39.1).
This egula ion has ecen ly been amended by
Regula ion 2023/2842, which adds an incen i e
o egula ise engines whose powe exceeds
he au ho ised limi : “When a ca ching essel
exceeds he au ho ised engine powe se ou in he
ishing licence, a egula isa ion may be ca ied ou ”
(A . 39). Likewise, i in oduces he obliga ion
o ins all sys ems o con inuous moni o ing o
engine powe on ce ain essels (A . 39a.2).
Howe e , his obliga ion will no en e in o o ce
un il Janua y 2028, and he de elopmen o
speci ic c i e ia on how hese sys ems should
wo k and on which essels hey should be
ins alled is s ill pending.
Some o hese ules a e de ined in mo e de ail
in A icles 61-63 o Implemen ing Regula ion
404/2011, which es ablish ce ain p ocedu es
o ce i ying engine powe , as well as he need
o es ablish a e i ica ion plan o inspec o s o
physically inspec ce ain essels and e i y hei
ac ual powe .
This new limi o 904 hp o bo om awle s
ep esen s a e y signi ican inc ease wi h espec
o he p e ious egula ion. Be ween 1988 and
2022, he legal limi was 500 hp, close o hal he
cu en limi .8
The eason o his inc ease in he legal limi is
unclea , as no public jus i ica ion has e e been
p o ided. Acco ding o some ishe s in e iewed
o his s udy, he inc ease could be an a emp
by he Spanish adminis a ion o egula ise a
widesp ead si ua ion o non-compliance. Fo
decades, many essels ha e ope a ed wi h engines
ha a exceeded he p e ious limi , wi h he
appa en consen o he au ho i ies. I he 500 hp
h eshold had been main ained, mos o he lee
would ha e been ende ed inope able, as he
engines would ha e had o be eplaced o comply
wi h his limi . Wi h he inc ease in he maximum
pe mi ed limi o 904 hp, i has been easie o
shipowne s o egula ise he ac ual powe o hei
engines wi hou ha ing o change hem o eplace
hem wi h new ones.
On he o he hand, Royal Dec ee 1044/2022
o 27 Decembe on he egula ion o he ishing
lee es ablishes he possibili y o de eloping
e i ica ion plans in ol ing he a ious compe en
au ho i ies, wi h he aim o ensu ing ha engine
powe does no exceed he limi s se ou in ishing
licences. A icle 5.3 unde lines he Eu opean ban
on ishing wi h a ishing essel equipped wi h an
engine whose powe exceeds ha es ablished in
he licence, and A icle 15 de ails he p ocedu es
o egula ising engine powe .
4. Regula o y amewo k
Fo essels engaged in bo om awling in he
Medi e anean, A icle 12.1 s ipula es ha he
engine powe may no exceed 665 kW, which
is equi alen o 904 hp.
Fo essels engaged in pu se seine ishing in
he Medi e anean, A icle 18 se s a limi o
330 kW, equi alen o 445.5 hp.
In he Spanish con ex , Royal Dec ee 502/2022
o 27 June, which egula es ishing in na ional
ishing g ounds, es ablishes speci ic engine powe
limi s acco ding o he ype o essel:
© OCEANA / En ique Talledo
16
Beyond he economic challenges, he e a e wo
addi ional obs acles. On he one hand, he e is
no enough ho sepowe a ailable on he ma ke
o egula ise all essels, and on he o he , he e is
an o e all limi on he maximum o al ho sepowe
o he Spanish lee . In ac , acco ding o he CFP
(Regula ion 1380/2013, Annex II), Spain has a
maximum ishing capaci y limi o 964 826 kW,
which is equi alen o 1 311 796 hp. In 2024, he
ishing capaci y decla ed by Spain11 amoun ed
o 776 332 kW (1 055 516 hp), lea ing a legal
ma gin o 256 280 ho sepowe a ailable o
new alloca ions. Taking in o accoun he size o
he Spanish lee and he olume o undecla ed
engine powe iden i ied in his s udy, his ma gin
is likely o be insu icien o co e he excess
engine powe and undecla ed ishing capaci y.
Amnes y and au oma ic egula isa ion:
legalising addi ional ho sepowe
al eady ins alled in engines a no cos
o shipowne s. Al hough his would
be he quickes and easies solu ion
o implemen , i would c ea e and
eno mous and un ai disad an age
o hose shipowne s who ha e been
complying wi h he egula ions o
yea s o ha e made g ea inancial
e o s o egula ise hei si ua ions.
The indings p esen ed he e highligh he need
o a massi e egula isa ion o engine powe .
Howe e , his poses se ious s uc u al and
economic challenges o he indus y, in which
he ho sepowe ading ma ke and maximum
ishing capaci y limi s (‘capaci y ceilings’) imposed
by he CFP play a c ucial ole. This is because
he CFP se s a maximum limi on he ishing
capaci y o each Membe S a e, exp essed in
bo h onnage and engine powe . The e o e, any
inc ease in engine powe on a gi en essel mus
be accompanied by an equi alen educ ion
on ano he essel, which has led o a limi ed
and highly specula i e ma ke o he sale and
pu chase o ho sepowe among shipowne s.
One o he g ea es obs acles o an indi idual
shipowne o egula ise hei si ua ion is he
high ma ke p ice o ho sepowe . In ou case
s udy, each shipowne would need o acqui e, on
a e age, an addi ional 372 hp o egula ise hei
si ua ion, al hough his numbe a ies g ea ly
depending on he essel. Wi h an es ima ed
p ice o 200 eu os pe ho sepowe , he o al
cos pe essel would be a ound 75 000 eu os.
This es ima ed p ice may in ac be signi ican ly
lowe han he ac ual p ice, as he e ha e been
cases in which p ices could exceed 500 eu os
pe ho sepowe , u he inc easing he economic
bu den o egula isa ion.
The high economic cos s associa ed wi h he
egula isa ion o engines make i essen ial o
launch a s a e in e en ion p og amme o help
alloca e he ho sepowe cu en ly no decla ed in
he egis e s and o legalise exis ing engines.
7. Challenges and solu ions o engine egula isa ion:
The ho sepowe ading ma ke and ishing capaci y limi s
Regula ion o he ho sepowe ma ke :
es ablishing a maximum p ice o he
ans e o ho sepowe be ween essels,
o p e en specula i e p ac ices and
acili a e access o he ho sepowe
equi ed o egula isa ion.
In e es - ee loans: o e ing so loans
o buy ho sepowe . These ins umen s
mus be designed including c i e ia ha
educe he isk o gene a ing ma ke
in la ion and u he inc easing he p ice
o ho sepowe .
Possible inancing solu ions include:
© OCEANA / Juan Cue os

17
A ho sepowe ealloca ion mechanism:
designing a anspa en mechanism o
manage excess ishing capaci y and
edis ibu e ho sepowe ai ly.
S eng hening capaci y con ols:
implemen ing e ec i e mechanisms o
p e en u u e i egula i ies and ensu e
ha ishing capaci y emains wi hin
he limi s es ablished by he CFP,
p omo ing long- e m sus ainabili y.
T ansi ion o low-impac ishing
me hods: acili a ing and incen i ising
he adop ion o mo e selec i e ishing
gea ha is less powe - and uel-
in ensi e, in line wi h a jus ansi ion
owa ds sus ainable and clima e-
esponsible ishing. This ansi ion
may be accompanied by bene i s such
as inc eased access o esou ces o
addi ional ishing days o essels ha
demons a e a eal educ ion in hei
ishing capaci y and e o .
Incen i es o engine eplacemen :
eplacing exis ing engines wi h mo e
e icien ones ha signi ican ly educe
ishing capaci y.
This means ha , in o de o egula ise he
si ua ion o he lee wi hou exceeding he
limi s es ablished by EU egula ions, i would
be necessa y o educe he decla ed capaci y o
ce ain segmen s o he lee o o p oceed wi h
he selec i e wi hd awal o essels.
A he same ime, his si ua ion highligh s he ac
ha he e ec i e ishing capaci y o he Spanish
lee is much highe han ha o icially egis e ed.
This disc epancy gene a es a signi ican dis o ion
in he da a used o ishe ies managemen , which
aises ques ions abou he alidi y o ishing
e o con ol measu es applied on he basis o an
e iden ly unde es ima ed ishing capaci y.
In iew o his si ua ion, and ega dless o he
mechanism used o egula ise essels and ob ain
eliable da a on excess ishing capaci y, i will be
necessa y o de elop a comp ehensi e plan o
manage he ishing sec o .
This plan should include:
Finally, i is essen ial o de elop a essel sc apping
plan speci ically aimed a decommissioning he
ishing segmen s wi h he highes le els o aud
and whe e ishing capaci y has been iden i ied
as being incompa ible wi h esou ce a ailabili y.
This app oach would allow he lee o adjus o
he eali y o ma ine ecosys ems, p og essi ely
and pe manen ly elimina ing excess capaci y
and ensu ing mo e sus ainable exploi a ion o
esou ces. To gua an ee he e ec i eness o his
plan, i is essen ial o es ablish clea condi ions
o ensu e ha capaci y wi hd awn h ough essel
sc apping canno be eco e ed o eused in he
lee , hus p e en ing co e inc eases o audulen
subs i u ions o capaci y.
I should be emphasised ha he p oblem o
engine powe unde epo ing is no unique
o Spain. P e ious esea ch and he Eu opean
Commission’s audi ha e highligh ed simila
i egula i ies in i ually all Membe S a es.
In his ega d, any egula isa ion and capaci y
adjus men p ocesses a he na ional le el should
be accompanied by discussions a he EU le el
o ensu e ai ness, a oid compe i i e dis o ions
among lee s, and s eng hen he in eg i y o he
Eu opean ishe ies con ol amewo k.
© OCEANA / Ángeles Sáez
18
The esul s o his s udy e eal he sys ema ic
unde epo ing o engine powe and a signi ican gap
be ween he o icially decla ed ishing capaci y and
he ac ual capaci y o he Spanish Medi e anean
lee . Nine y- ou pe cen o he essels analysed
ha e allegedly audulen engines, wi h ac ual powe
well abo e he ce i ied powe , while 20% o essels
di ec ly exceed he legal powe limi s. This massi e
dis o ion exposes se ious laws in he engine powe
e i ica ion sys em and poses a conside able isk o
he sus ainabili y o ishe ies, he ai dis ibu ion o
public aid, and he in eg i y o ishe ies managemen .
Engine powe , as a gued in Sec ion 3, is a key
indica o o ac ual ishing capaci y, especially in
awl ishe ies. Expe ience om he Medi e anean
con i ms ha educing ishing e o , one o he
pilla s o he Mul iannual Plan o Deme sal S ocks
8. Conclusions
Launching a na ional p og amme o egula ise engine powe , wi h clea objec i es, de ined
deadlines and adequa e unding. This p og amme should conside he ollowing op ions:
Legalising engines ha a e cu en ly in an i egula si ua ion, in an o de ly and anspa en manne .
Regula ing he ho sepowe ma ke , es ablishing a maximum p ice o he ans e o
ho sepowe be ween essels, in o de o p e en specula i e p ac ices and acili a e access o
he ho sepowe equi ed o egula isa ion.
Es ablishing inancing mechanisms, such as in e es - ee loans, o he acquisi ion o
ho sepowe on ai e ms.
Ca e ully e alua ing any measu es o amnes y and he au oma ic egula isa ion o engine powe ,
a oiding sending signals ha would ewa d non-compliance o e hose who abide by he ules.
in he Wes e n Medi e anean Sea, will only be
e ec i e i accompanied by a igo ous es ima e o
ins alled capaci y and, he e o e, o ac ual engine
powe . In his con ex , he egula isa ion and
e i ica ion o engine powe a e essen ial condi ions
o limi ing ac ual ishing capaci y.
© OCEANA / Ca los Suá ez
Recommenda ions
o he
essels analysed
di ec ly exceed
ha e allegedly
audulen engines
he legal powe limi s
94%
20%
19
Re e ences and no es
Designing a s uc u al managemen policy o excess ishing capaci y, including:
A anspa en mechanism o manage excess ishing capaci y and edis ibu e ho sepowe
equi ably among he di e en segmen s o he ishing lee , in acco dance wi h social,
en i onmen al, and compliance c i e ia.
Engine eplacemen p og ammes o educe e ec i e engine powe wi hou comp omising
essels’ echnical iabili y.
A essel decommissioning plan ocused on emo ing hose essels o segmen s wi h he
highes le els o aud o disc epancies be ween ishing e o and esou ce a ailabili y,
accompanied by ai ansi ion measu es o a ec ed c ews and communi ies.
A plan o acili a e and encou age he adop ion o mo e selec i e and less powe - and uel-
in ensi e ishing gea , accompanied by bene i s such as inc eased access o esou ces o addi ional
ishing days o essels ha demons a e a eal educ ion in ishing capaci y and e o .
New ools o moni o ing, e i ying, and ce i ying ac ual ishing capaci y, o p e en u u e
i egula i ies and ensu e ha ishing capaci y emains wi hin he limi s se by he CFP.
This epo highligh s ha engine powe is an essen ial a iable o he success o any ishing e o con ol
policy, and ha engine powe manipula ion has allowed ishing capaci y o emain well abo e o icially
ecognised le els. In his con ex , al hough all deba e is legi ima e, he cu en capaci y limi s es ablished in he
CFP should no be elaxed, bu a he ein o ced. I decisi e ac ion is no aken, no only is he sus ainabili y o
he Medi e anean Sea a s ake, bu also he legi imacy o he ishe ies go e nance model as a whole.
Bouzada, E. (2010). Vías de ac uación ju ídica pa a e i a
la manipulación de mo o es de emba caciones pesque as.
Ins i u o In e nacional de De echo y Medio Ambien e.
h ps://eu ope.oceana.o g/wp-con en /uploads/
si es/26/2025/09/Manipulacio-nmo o es-In o me-
IDMA-2010.pd ; Ca e as, M. (2014). E olución de la pesca
en Balea es en el úl imo siglo: econs ucción de cap u as,
po encia eal del a as e y especies desapa ecidas. Oceana.
h ps://oceana.o g/wp-con en /uploads/si es/18/e olucion_
de_la_pesca_en_balea es_en_el_ul imo_siglo_0.pd
Royal Dec ees 1440/1999 and 679/1988, which be ween
1988 and 2022 egula ed ishing wi h bo om awl gea in
he na ional ishing g ounds o he Medi e anean Sea.
Fo he pu poses o e i ying engine powe in acco dance
wi h A icle 41 o he Fishe ies Con ol Regula ion, Membe
S a es should es ablish a sampling plan o iden i y hose
ishing essels o g oups o ishing essels in hei lee o
which he e is a isk ha he p opulsion engine powe is
decla ed o be lowe han he ac ual powe .
In esponse o a complain om indi iduals abou awle s
ope a ing in he Can ab ian Sea (complain 8091/15/
MARE), he Spanish au ho i ies ca ied ou physical
inspec ions o 12 o he essels epo ed, wi hou inding
any i egula i ies, which led o he closu e o he case.
Howe e , ou o hese awle s we e la e inspec ed as pa
o he Eu opean Commission audi men ioned p e iously,
and i was ound ha he ac ual engine powe exceeded he
ce i ied powe in all o he cases inspec ed. Engine powe
was be ween 50% and 200% highe han ha ce i ied. How
can he eno mous di e ence be ween he wo inspec ion
p ocesses be explained? Al hough answe s may a y,
one plausible possibili y is ha he shipowne s had been
in o med in ad ance o he inspec ion and decided o adjus
he engine powe se ings o limi he powe .
Sec e a ía Gene al de Pesca. (2024). In o me Anual de la
Ac i idad de la Flo a Pesque a Española 2024 (Da os 2022).
Minis e io de Ag icul u a, Pesca y Alimen ación.
h ps://www.mapa.gob.es/es/dam/jc :44256c36-b545-4aea-
a9d9-64db36ce86bc/in o meanual lo a2024conpa.pd
Eu opean Cou o Audi o s. (2011). Ha e EU measu es
con ibu ed o adap ing he capaci y o ishing lee s o
a ailable ishing oppo uni ies? Special Repo No. 12/2011.
Publica ions O ice o he Eu opean Union.
h ps://doi.o g/10.2865/20007
Te asa Pon , B., & Oli ie Reus, P. (2024). Les ba ques del bou de
Mallo ca. Edicions UIB.
Guadagnoli, G., & López, J. (2024). Rebuilding wes e n
Medi e anean ishe ies: has he wes e n Medi e anean
mul iannual plan deli e ed? 2019–2024. Oceana.
h ps://doi.o g/10.5281/zenodo.11260869
Eu opean Commission, Di ec o a e-Gene al o Ma i ime
A ai s and Fishe ies, & Roos Diesel Analysis B.V. (2019).
S udy on engine powe e i ica ion by Membe S a es: inal
epo . Publica ions O ice o he Eu opean Union.
h ps://da a.eu opa.eu/doi/10.2771/945320
Eigaa d, O.R., Rihan, D., G aham, N., Sala, A., & Zacha iassen,
K. (2011). Imp o ing ishing e o desc ip o s: Modelling
engine powe and gea -size ela ions o i e Eu opean awl
lee s. Fishe ies Resea ch, 110(1), 39-46.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j. ish es.2011.03.010
Sha ma, R., Ba ange, M., Agos ini, V., Ba os, P., Gu ie ez,
N.L., Vasconcellos, M., Fe nandez Regue a, D., Ti ay,
C., & Le on in, P., (Eds.). (2025). Re iew o he s a e o
wo ld ma ine ishe y esou ces – 2025. FAO Fishe ies and
Aquacul u e Technical Pape , No. 721.
h ps://doi.o g/10.4060/cd5538en
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