The octopus is a highly valued and appreciated animal in the world of gastronomy, so it is common for many fishermen to venture to catch it on their journeys. However, it is important to keep in mind that in Spain there is regulation that controls its fishing to ensure its conservation and preservation.
The most important thing is to know that you have to have your fishing license in force, and if you don't have it, we'll explain how to get it in any autonomous community.
First of all, it must be taken into account that octopus fishing is regulated by each of the autonomous communities, which means that laws and regulations may vary from one region to another. Therefore, it is essential to find out about the specific regulations of each place before going out to fish for octopuses.
In general, the fine for fishing octopuses without complying with regulations can be quite large and it will depend on the type of infraction if it is minor, serious or very serious. These fines are imposed to punish those fishermen who fish for octopuses during closed periods, using illegal fishing techniques or capturing specimens smaller than the established minimum size.
The bans, for example, are periods of time in which you are octopus fishing prohibited with the aim of allowing their reproduction and guaranteeing the continuity of the species. During these periods, it is absolutely prohibited to capture any specimen, and non-compliance may result in a significant fine.
As for the fishing techniques, you have to be very careful since not all of them are allowed. For example, in some areas the use of gillnets to capture octopuses is prohibited, as they can cause damage to other marine organisms and non-selectivity in the capture. It is important to use fishing methods that are respectful of the marine environment and that allow the correct selection of the size of the specimens.
Let us remember that there is also a minimum measure established for the capture of octopuses, in order to allow the specimens the opportunity to reproduce before being captured. If we capture specimens below that minimum size, we could also face a fine.
How much is the fine for fishing octopuses?
The fine for fishing octopuses can vary, normally this type of sanction is a minor or serious infraction that ranges between pos 150 at €3.000, but if several aggravating factors are added it could become a very serious infraction and these are between €3.001 to €60.000 depending on what you have done.
That is why we recommend that you always have all the papers in order, your fishing license in force, be aware of the closed periods and be very informed so as not to have any problems with the law.
