The Directorate General of Fisheries of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment has released the data from the report on recreational sea fishing licences issued in 2023, data which, in the words of the Director General of Fisheries, Antoni M. Grau, show that “recreational fishing remains a popular leisure activity in the Balearic Islands, which is growing year after year. The number of licences issued, new or renewed, proves it”. For this reason, in a matter of weeks the Order creating the Commission for the Co-management of Recreational Fishing in the Balearic Islands will be published in the BOIB, a public participation body that will include representatives from the recreational fishing sector, the affected administrations and other relevant actors, “because everyone must feel identified, involved and informed in the management of recreational fishing in the Balearic Islands, to ensure its sustainability and the conservation of marine resources,” added Grau.

TDB keeps you informed. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

16,653 new recreational sea fishing licences in 2023

In this sense, last year a total of 16,653 licences were issued, an increase of 8.45% compared to 2022, when 15,355 were issued. Furthermore, of this total, more than seven thousand were processed telematically. It should be remembered that most licences are valid for three years, which means that in the Balearic Islands, there are some 43,000 recreational sea fishing licences in force today.

In detail, in 2023, 10,988 individual recreational fishing licences were issued; 3,714 recreational boat fishing licences; 1,425 underwater fishing licences and 526 sport fishing licences.

By islands, in Mallorca 7,931 individual licences were issued, 2,373 boat licences and 976 spearfishing licences; in Menorca 1,471 individual licences were issued; 657 boat licences and 202 spearfishing licences. In Ibiza, 1,437 individual fishing licences, 569 boat licences and 216 spearfishing licences were issued in 2023. On Formentera, 149 individuals, 115 boats and 31 spearfishing licences were issued.

“Analysing the report, we can conclude that younger people are the ones who apply for the most land and underwater fishing licences, while boat licence holders are generally older,” says Director General Antoni M. Grau.

Another aspect to highlight is the increase in the number of nationalities of the citizens applying for licences, where a total of 82 nationalities have been registered, a figure higher than the 72 registered in 2022.

In this sense, regarding the new individual recreational fishing licences issued in 2023, the nationalities with more than 100 licences are 7,698 Spanish nationals; 1,491 German nationals; 313 British nationals; 184 Italian nationals; 105 French nationals; 168 Moroccan nationals; and 121 Romanian nationals. As for recreational boat fishing licences, 3,616 are of Spanish nationality; 45 are of German origin; 26 are from France and 17 from Italy. Regarding spearfishing licences, 1,300 applicants are Spanish, 39 are Italian, 33 are French and 15 are from Germany.