Following a process of consultation and agreement with the Fishing Working Group (which includes representatives of angling organisations) and the Nature Conservancy Council, the Department of  the Environment is expanding its conservation measures for numerous fish species in Gibraltar. 

Building on the work carried out for other species, notably Common Octopus, closed seasons for the European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), Spotted sea bass (Dicentrarchus punctatus) and several Grouper species will be implemented this year. Scientific research strongly supports the principle that seasonal closures, particularly during vulnerable periods such as migration or spawning, have substantial positive impacts on fish populations.

Groupers, such as the Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), are slow-growing species that are particularly susceptible to population declines due to overfishing and habitat changes. The closed season for these species will be implemented from the 1st June to the 31st August on a yearly basis and subject to review. Given the timing, this year’s closure shall, however, be exceptionally effective from the 1st – 31st August 2025. In relation to European and Spotted Seabass, the closed season for these species will be implemented from the 1st  November 2025 to 28th February 2026.

As part of the new conservation measures implemented, the Department of the Environment has also updated and increased the minimum legal size limits for a range of fish species and included new species on the list. These revisions are all intended to allow fish to reach reproductive age before capture. All fish below these size limits must therefore be released unharmed.

The Department’s Environmental Protection and Research Unit will be conducting regular patrols at sea and on land to assist anglers with the interpretation of the new minimum sizes and seasonal closures. The new list of minimum sizes can be accessed online from:

https://www.gibraltarlaws.gov.gi/index.php/legislations/marine-protection-amendment-regulations-2025-7699

Further information on the initiative can be obtained by contacting the Department of the Environment on marine.monitoring@gibraltar.gov.gi or Tel: 200 71061.