Electronic Logbooks and the Fifty Kilogram Rule
Reporting requirements are being significantly tightened. The current exemption that allows fishermen to omit catches of up to 50kg of estimated equivalent weight will no longer apply. Starting January 10, 2026, all catches must be recorded per tow or fishing operation.
This data must be entered into the electronic logbook at least every 24 hours, before midnight, and before entering port. A fishing operation is defined to include the launching and hauling of active gear or the deployment and removal of passive gear.
Digital Traceability and Unique Trip Identification
To improve supply chain transparency, a unique identification number will be automatically generated in the electronic logbook for every fishing trip. This number must appear on all landing declarations, sales notes, and transport documents.
The new rules mandate that all data regarding production, processing, and distribution must be digitally recorded and available to the next operator in the supply chain. Traceability must now be granular, tracking batches by species, presentation, and the specific ICES division where the catch occurred.
Weighing Procedures and Transport Documentation
The definition of a completed landing has been refined. A landing is not deemed complete until the fisheries products have been weighed. Operators must record the exact start and end times of the weighing process in the electronic logbook. Regarding transport, carrier obligations are shifting.
While carriers are required to submit transport documents electronically, owners and captains are now encouraged to record this data via the electronic logbook to ensure compliance. This includes the time of loading and details of the operator responsible for weighing.
Inspections and Future Measures for 2027
Safety protocols during inspections have been updated, expanding shipowner duties to include the captain. This ensures officials have safe access to vessels without obstruction. Looking further ahead, additional regulations will come into force in January 2027.
These include extended marking requirements for otter and plank fishing gear, as well as new rules for marking the seam lines of codends. Finally, starting in 2028, mandatory Remote Electronic Monitoring systems will be required for vessels over 18 meters that are deemed to pose a high risk of non-compliance with the landing obligation.
New and amended fisheries control measures as included in the amended Control Regulation 2023/2842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 November 2023 and as incorporated in Commission Implementing Regulation 2025/2196 and Commission Delegated Regulation 2025/1766 .