Overview
- Recreational fishers will have to declare any catch of lieu jaune (merlu/colin), sea bass, bluefin tuna or certain dorades to the authorities starting January 10, 2026.
- The draft order maps species to regions: English Channel and Atlantic for lieu jaune and sea bass, all three basins for bluefin tuna and pink dentex, and the Mediterranean for dolphinfish.
- The Ministry of the Ecological Transition has opened a consultation on the text, with a final order to follow and the online declaration system and enforcement still to be specified.
- Officials say the requirement aims to improve knowledge of recreational removals to support sustainable stock management, with the species list subject to future expansion.
- Reports note divided reactions among hobby fishers over paperwork and digital access, while professionals already declare catches and local pilots have shown scientific value in such data.