Marta Pujol-Baucells1,2*
Carlota Mateu-Pinilla1,2Marta Blanco1,2Marta Carreton1,2
Laura Recasens1,2
Joan B. Company1,2
Eve Galimany1,2- 1Institut Català de Recerca per a la Governança del Mar (ICATMAR), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- 2Department of Marine Renewable Resources, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Recreational fishing is an increasingly popular leisure activity on a global scale, with catches that may surpass those of commercial fisheries. However, the lack of comprehensive and standardized data hinders accurate assessment of its ecological impact. This study investigates the species composition across three variables including fishing modalities (shore angling, boat angling, and spearfishing), zone and season along the NW Mediterranean coast. Species identification and number of individuals caught data were obtained through onsite surveys conducted between 2020 and 2023. The results reveal significant differences in catch composition among modalities, as well as across spatial and seasonal scales. However, modality exhibited the greatest differentiation in catch composition compared to the other two variables. Then, regarding modality, boat angling and spearfishing yield the highest catch rates but boat angling had the greatest number of species (i.e., 69). However, species composition characterized the catches of each modality. Specifically, Dicentrarchus labrax was more frequently fished by shore anglers, Loligo vulgaris by boat anglers, and Mullus surmuletus by spearfishers. Currently, there is a need to develop and reinforce marine recreational fisheries sustainable management practices at a regional scale. In the study area, our findings suggest that fishing modality is the main driver to consider when developing sustainable management strategies and the conservation of coastal marine biodiversity.
1 Introduction
The exploitation of marine resources has become a global conservation concern, traditionally focused on the impacts of commercial fishing (Ben Lamine et al., 2018; Cooke and Cowx, 2006). However, the potential ecological and socioeconomic significance of marine recreational fisheries (MRF) has often been overlooked (Solomon et al., 2020). Globally, the MRF engage an estimated 220 million people, in some cases exceeding commercial catches in volume (Arlinghaus et al., 2019). In 2018, in Europe, approximately 8.7 million people participated in MRF, with 2.8 million located in the Mediterranean Sea (Hyder et al., 2018).
Recent literature increasingly recognizes the need to include MRF in comprehensive fisheries management frameworks that integrate scientific data, stakeholder involvement, and adaptive governance strategies (Lewin et al., 2019; Pawson et al., 2008). This integration is vital to support ecosystem health, maintain biodiversity, and ensure long-term sustainability while preserving the economic and social benefits derived from recreational fishing (Arlinghaus and Cooke, 2005; Soldo et al., 2018). Across Europe, annual expenditures associated with MRF are estimated at €5.89 billion, including €920 million within the Mediterranean basin alone (Hyder et al., 2018). In Catalonia, an autonomic region located in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, MRF is a key contributor to the blue economy, generating approximately €90 million in indirect income annually, one-third of which directly benefits local coastal economies (Gómez, 2022).
Effective MRF management depends on accurate and systematic data collection for better evaluating managing and comprehending the dimensions of these fisheries (Brownscombe et al., 2019). Long-term datasets are crucial to assess the impacts of MRF and to inform policy. Data are typically gathered through off-site methods (e.g., recall surveys by phone or mail surveys) and/or on-site approaches (i.e., face-to-face interviews at key access points or creel surveys). While both approaches have inherent limitations, online surveys are primarily used for short-term memory issues, whereas onsite surveys are particularly well suited to obtain detailed catch data, including species identification, quantification, and size composition (Taylor et al., 2021).
Similar studies across the Mediterranean regions have explored the biological, ecological, and environmental implications of MRF, such as the Balearic Islands, where Morales-Nin et al. (2005) described the activity from a perspective for best management advise, understanding fishers and their behavior, and describing the fishing activity. In the Northern Adriatic Sea, Pranovi et al. (2016) exposed the magnitude of MRF comparing it with commercial fishing and its impacts in the ecosystems, emphasizing the need to consider recreational fishing catches in management strategies and the introduction of new systems to monitor the activity (Ben Lamine et al., 2018). Further examples can be found across the Mediterranean; for instance, shore-based sport fishing competitions have been systematically recorded along the Maltese coast (Agius Darmanin and Vella, 2018), while recreational shore and boat angling have been assessed along the Adriatic Sea (Soldo, 2022), including spearfishing activities along the eastern Adriatic (Jelić Mrčelić et al., 2023).
The first two statewide assessments were conducted by Dedeu et al. (2019) and Gordoa et al. (2019). These studies provide nationwide data for Spain as a whole. In Catalonia, research by Font and Lloret (2014) has drawn attention to the environmental risks associated with MRF, including the use of exotic baits, gear loss, the capture of vulnerable species, and the frequent landing of individuals below size at first maturity, thereby threatening reproductive potential. Additional studies conducted in northern Catalonia (Cape of Creus) further explored the socioeconomic relevance of MRF, particularly in tourism-driven hotspots where foreign recreational fishers represent a substantial share of effort and expenditure (Font and Lloret, 2011, 2014; Lloret et al., 2008b, 2018). In these areas, the majority of fishers interviewed were foreigners and their expenditures were associated to the activity (Vitale et al., 2021).
The regulation of MRF in the wider Mediterranean Sea context (including both European and North African countries) is fragmented and varies significantly between countries (Franquesa et al., 2004). In fact, it is acknowledged that the EU regulation on MRF is insufficient and lacks data and stakeholder engagement (Grati et al., 2025). The understanding and managing of MRF is key to develop sustainable fisheries practices, especially when they can be of the same magnitude as commercial fisheries (Michailidis et al., 2020). In Spain, management responsibilities are devolved to regional governments, which issue fishing licenses and implement localized measures such as daily bag limits, species and size restrictions, and gear regulations (BOE-A-2011-6099, 2011). This decentralization has led to heterogeneous regulatory frameworks across coastal regions (Gordoa et al., 2019). Catalonia, one of Spain’s most economically dynamic regions (Brenner et al., 2006), features 699 km of diverse coastline, including 270 km of beaches, ranging from rocky cliffs in the north to deltaic estuaries in the south (Brenner et al., 2010; Aranda et al., 2013). Current MRF regulation in Catalonia is based on a law issued in 1995 (DOGC-2040-DECRET 109/1995, 1995), which defines three different modalities: shore angling and boat angling, both defined as surface fishing, and spearfishing defined as underwater fishing, and concerns gear, fishing time, and catch limits. However, this regulation seems obsolete and calls have been made to reform MRF legislation to better align it with the extractive potential of the activity, comparable in some cases to small-scale commercial fisheries (Gómez, 2022). In response, a recent resolution (RESOLUCIÓ ARP/3253, 2024) has been issued to improve the management of this activity in northern Catalonia, as a pilot model to begin managing the resources as well as promoting good practices in the sector.
The hypothesis of this study is that fishing modality is the main driver for the MRF catch composition in NW Mediterranean Sea. To test this hypothesis, we studied the species caught by the fishers in the Catalan Coast, a coastline of 580km. For a more comprehensive study, other variables were also considered, such as season and geographic zone, to better approach the complexity of MRF. The results of this study will provide scientific data to support the development of best management strategies along the Catalan coast and, in extension, to the NW Mediterranean Sea.
2 Materials and methods
2.1 Sampling area
The study covers the entire Catalan Coast (Northeast Iberian Peninsula), as shown in Figure 1. The coastline exhibits significant geological and biological diversity, characterized by its rocky coast, cliffs, sandy beaches, estuaries and river deltas. The Catalan coast is divided in to 21 subzones to ease sampling protocols but for management goals, the sampling subzones are grouped into three distinct zones based on management administrative units: north (province of Girona), center (province of Barcelona) and south (province of Tarragona).
Figure 1. Division of the Catalan coastline in three study zones: north (Girona province); center (Barcelona province); and south (Tarragona province). Orange dots: limits of subzones; black dots: principal ports of fishing interest; blue area: Cap de Creus Natural Park; green area: Illes Medes Integral Natural Reserve; yellow areas: permanent no-take zones for demersal fisheries.
2.2 Data collection
The data used in this study was obtained from ICATMAR’s MRF continuous and ongoing monitoring program conducted between 2020 and 2023 (ICATMAR (Institut Català per a la Governança del Mar), 2024). The onsite surveys (face-to-face) were gathered by three different means: at port, on foot or by boat, which were performed by MRF experts able to visually identify all the species caught in the zone. The fishers were asked information on their trip journey, fishing modality, and catch composition. During face-to-face interviews, fishers were also asked to specify fishing techniques and hook that used. For the purposes of this study, however, all rod-and-line practices from the shore line were grouped under shore angling, and from vessels were grouped under the general category of boat angling modality. The surveys design ensured a minimum of 88 field sampling days per year, with additional sampling efforts compensating for surveys with low or no responses (Table 1). Sampling days were assigned randomly within zones and seasons, maintaining a distribution of 40% on weekdays and 60% on weekends and public holidays, to accurately represent the fishing effort distribution in Catalonia (ICATMAR (Institut Català per a la Governança del Mar), 2024).
Table 1. Summary of sampling data including sampling days, surveys and quantified individuals between 2020 and 2023 detailed by zone.
In this study, shore angling refers to rod-and-line fishing from land-based platforms such as harbors, jetties, beaches, and rocks. Boat angling refers exclusively to MRF with rod and line conducted from a vessel, as this is the only legal modality from boats in Catalonia. Spearfishing refers to underwater fishing conducted by apnea divers, either accessed from shore or by boat.
Port surveys, a total of 2710, targeted boat anglers and spearfishers initiating their activities from boats. These fishers were surveyed upon entering the port, regardless of angling from the boat or using it to access spearfishing. Surveys were conducted at the busiest ports within each zone. On foot surveys targeted shore anglers fishing from harbors, jetties, beaches and rocks, as well as spearfishers returning to land after fishing. Surveyors walked to the popular sites in each region, interviewing every fisher encountered, a total of 2241. Finally, 826 surveys by boat were conducted from a speedboat cruising along the coast, surveying shore anglers on rocks and breakwaters and spearfishers in the water. The selection of these two methods (on foot and by boat surveys), depended on the accessibility of primary fishing locations and the presence or absence of underwater reefs in the sampling zone.
Each sampling trip lasted six hours and the survey timing was aligned with peak fishing activity with the objective to survey fishers at the end of their journey: midday for port surveys, sunset for on foot surveys, and sunrise to midday for on port surveys. This scheduling ensured that the data collected represented the peak effort periods for each fishing mode, as well as interviewing as many fishers as possible. A summary of sampling data can be found in Table 1.
2.3 Data analyses
All data collected through the onsite surveys was organized by sampling days, each containing multiple unique surveys. Data normality and homogeneity of variances were assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk and Levene’s tests, respectively. As both assumptions were violated, non-parametric methods were applied.
To examine the species composition of catches by zone, fishing modality and season, standardized abundance per fishing hour (n/h-1) by species was calculated based on the different variables (i.e. zone, fishing modalities, and season). Multivariate analyses (NMDS, ANOSIM, SIMPER) were performed using the package vegan in R software (R Core Team, 2025), and surveys conducted on the same day, within the same subzone, and fishing modality, were combined into a single NMDS data point. Species abundance was used to calculate the Bray-Curtis distance matrix with similarity index between single points. The similarities in species composition were explored by a non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS). Differences in the species composition were analyzed through an ANOSIM test, a non – parametric method based on the rank distances among sample units that produces the statistic R (scaled between -1 to +1) and a p-value, lowest R values indicates less differences between groups than within them and higher R values indicates the opposite. Pairwise comparisons between zone, fishing modality and season were also tested using ANOSIM to examine the differences between levels for each factor. A similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER) was used to detect the species accounting for differences between zone and season per fishing modalities.
3 Results
The number of surveys conducted over 421 sampling days were 5777, categorized by the type of trip: 2241 surveys were carried out on foot, 826 by boat, and 2710 at port. However, categorized by season the total number of surveys were; 671 in winter, 1079 in spring, 2441 in summer, and 1586 in autumn. Over the study period, 10572 fish catch individuals were sampled. Of the total catches, 58% (6165 individuals) were recorded in the north, followed by 28% (3060) from the center, and 12% (1347) in the south zone. Regarding fishing modalities, boat angling accounted for the largest share with 6766 specimens caught (64%), followed by shore angling with 2514 (24% of the catches), and spearfishing with 1292 (12%; Table 1). Seasonally, the highest number of catches occurred in summer (45%), followed by fall (28%), spring (19%), and winter (8%).
A total of 86 species were documented in the surveys. The northern zone exhibited the highest species number, with 79 species recorded, followed by the central zone with 61 species, and the southern zone with 46 species. Regarding fishing modalities, the greatest number of species was sampled from boat angling, with 69 species, followed by shore angling with 58 species, and spearfishing with 37 species. Seasonal variation also influenced the number of species with the highest number of species observed in summer (i.e., 74 species), followed by spring and fall, with 65 species in each season, and winter displaying the lowest number of species, with 51 species.
A detailed table with the total number of individuals caught per species throughout the sampling period can be found in Supplementary Table S1. Overall, the species most frequently caught was Serranus cabrilla, with 1408 individuals, corresponding to 13.26% of the analyzed catch. The cephalopod Loligo vulgaris was the second most commonly caught species, with 660 individuals (6.21%), and Diplodus sargus was the third, with 632 individuals (5.99%; Supplementary Table S1).
3.1 Drivers of the catch composition
The ANOSIM test, based on a matrix of species abundances (number of individuals), highlighted significant differences in the species’ catch composition among all fishing modalities (p<0.01; Table 2) as shown in the NMDS plot (Figure 2A). The top species accounting for the highest differences in fishing modalities were as follows: (1) between boat and shore angling, the species S. cabrilla, L. vulgaris, Sepia officinalis, Euthynnus alletteratus, and Scomber scombrus, were more abundant in boat angling, and Sparus aurata and D. sargus, were more abundant in the shore angling modality, accounting for 52% of the total difference; (2) between boat angling and spearfishing the species obtained in boat angling were the same species than for boat and shore angling with the addition of Seriola dumerili; while D. sargus and Mullus surmuletus were more abundant for the spearfishing modality, accounting for 58% of the total differences; (3) between spearfishing and shore angling modalities, D. sargus, M. surmuletus, Octopus vulgaris and S. dumerili, were more abundant for spearfishing, and, S. aurata, Dicentrarchus labrax, S. cabrilla and Lithognathus mormyrus, were more abundant for shore angling, accounting for 54% of the total differences (Table 2).
Table 2. List of species contributing to the difference in the catch composition of the marine recreational fisheries among different fishing modalities.
Figure 2. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling ordination plot (NMDS) of the single group of surveys with abundance (n/h-1) according to (A) fishing modality (shore angling, boat angling and spearfishing), (B) zone (north, center and south), and (C) season (winter, spring, summer and fall).
Z one and seasons also revealed significant differences among them. No differences were found between center and south (RAnosim=0.01; p=0.19; Figure 2B), but there were significant differences at all other levels, as described in Supplementary Table S2A. Regarding seasons (Figure 2C), there were significant differences between all levels except between for fall and spring (RAnosim=0.03; p<0.06; Supplementary Table S2B).
3.2 Multivariate analyses
Based on the analysis of similarity performed for the three variables (i.e., fishing modality, zone and seasonality), fishing modality exhibited the greatest differentiation in catch composition compared to the other two variables. In detail, despite p<0.01 in all cases, the RAnosim values were 0.23, 0.06 and 0.07 for fishing modality, zone and seasonality, respectively. Consequently, further analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect of zone and season in each fishing modality.
3.2.1 Shore angling
For shore angling, the ANOSIM test revealed that the species composition had significant differences between the north zone and the center and south zones (p valor<0.01; Figure 3A, Table 3A). The test also revealed significant differences among some seasons, i.e., winter vs. summer and summer vs. fall (p<0.001 in both cases; Figure 3B, Table 3B). No significant differences were observed between the center and south zones, nor among the other seasons of the year, with respect to shore fishing activity.
Figure 3. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling ordination plot (NMDS) representation of shore anglers catches according to (A) zone, and (B) season.
Table 3. List of species contributing to the difference in the catch composition of shore angling among (A) sampling zones and (B) seasons.
Concerning the species composition S. cabrilla, Boops boops, and Oblada melanurus, were more abundant in the catches in northern zone, while D. sargus, D. labrax and Diplodus annularis, were more prevalent in the central zone (Table 3A). Similarly, comparisons between the northern and southern zones revealed that S. cabrilla, and B. boops, were more abundant in the north, and S. aurata, D. labrax, and D. sargus, were more abundant in the south zone (Table 3A). Regarding seasonal variability in shore angling, Spicara maena was the most abundant species in winter, while O. vulgaris was more common during the fall. The summer season showed the greatest species diversity, highlighting S. aurata, D. sargus, S. cabrilla, and D. labrax (Table 3B).
3.2.2 Boat angling
For boat anglers, an ANOSIM test determined significant differences for the catch composition among the three zones (p<0.001; Figure 4A, Table 4A). Significant differences were also observed among most seasons (p<0.001), with the exception of winter vs. spring (Table 4B, Figure 4B).
Figure 4. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling ordination plot (NMDS) representation of boat anglers catches according to (A) zone, and (B) season.
Table 4. List of species contributing to the difference in the catch composition of boat angling among (A) sampling zones and (B) seasons.
Species such as E. alletteratus, and S. officinalis were more abundant on the central than in the north zones, whereas S. cabrilla, and Pagellus erythrinus were more prevalent in the north than in the center. Similarly, comparisons between the south and north zones revealed similar patterns, with the addition of S. aurata in the south zone. Lastly, S. officinalis, L. vulgaris and S. aurata dominated the southern catches, while E. alletteratus, and S. dumerili were more prevalent in the central zone (Table 4A). Regarding seasonal variability in boat angling, L. vulgaris was the most abundant in winter. In spring, catches of P. erythrinus, and Trachurus trachurus were more abundant, while in summer, catches of E. alletteratus and S. cabrilla (Table 4B).
3.2.3 Spearfishing
For spearfishing, the ANOSIM test revealed significant differences in the catch composition between the north and center zones (p<0.001; Table 5A, Figure 5A), but no significant different were found between south and the other two zones (p>0.05). Seasons also showed significant differences in species composition (p<0.001; Table 5B, Figure 5B). However, no significant differences were detected between winter and spring or between winter and fall (p>0.05).
Table 5. List of species contributing to the difference in the catch composition of spearfishing among (A) different sampling zones and (B) different seasons.
Figure 5. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling ordination plot (NMDS) representation of spearfishers catches according to (A) zone, and (B) season.
The top species accounting for the differences between the north and center zones were M. surmuletus and O. vulgaris, both more abundant in the north zone (Table 5A). The primary species contributing to seasonal variability in spearfishing differed significantly between winter and summer, with O. vulgaris, and D. labrax being more abundant in winter, and D. sargus, M. surmuletus, and S. aurata, in summer. As for the comparison between spring and fall, catches of O. vulgaris, and Diplodus puntazzo stood out in spring, whereas in the fall, catches of Diplodus sp., S. dumerili, M. surmuletus highlighted (Table 5B).
4 Discussion
Several variables, including fishing modality, zone, and seasonality can help predict how MRF evolve over time, which is key to ensuring its local sustainability. The results of this study confirm the hypothesis that fishing modality is the main driver for the differences observed in the species composition of MRF catches along the NW Mediterranean Sea, emphasizing the need for fine-scale, modality-specific management, and a multifaceted activity influenced by a variety of ecological, social, and methodological factors (Font and Lloret, 2014; Lloret et al., 2008). There is scarce bibliography on MRF in the same studied area but a global list of the species of interest caught by the MRF fishers had not been previously reported (Dedeu et al., 2019; Gordoa et al., 2019). With 86 recorded species, our findings underscore the diverse and regional particularities of MRF (mirroring marine communities’ characteristics) in the area, since other studies reported much lower values, i.e. 51 species in Turkey (Unal et al., 2010) or 38 species in Israel (Frid et al., 2023). Incorporating the diversity of fishing modalities, the difference in fishers’ habits, and the vast spatial extension of MRF introduce significant complexity to the studies in this field, which may explain why MRF remains less well understood than commercial fisheries (ICES, 2020). However, understanding this variability has been proved here as essential for developing science-based and regionally adapted management strategies (Frid et al., 2023).
Among the three modalities, boat angling catches exhibited the highest number of species, as found in similar studies (e.g 54 species in Mallorca (Morales-Nin et al., 2005); 42 species in Turkey (Unal et al., 2010)). Boat anglers’ catches diversity could be explained by a combination of factors and characteristics. For instance, they may use various fishing techniques such as bottom fishing, a variety of jigging types, trolling with live, dead or artificial baits, bottom longlining and deep dropping, among others (Michailidis et al., 2020). Within boat angling, seasonality seems to play an important role in the catch composition, as reported by Frid et al., 2023; Unal et al., 2010, where seasonal peaks in the catch abundance may be related to the biology of the species. For example, the temporal abundance variations described for S. officinalis aligns with the peak observed in the fall, associated with the recruitment of small individuals. Meanwhile, in the spring months, larger individuals migrate to shallow waters for reproduction, becoming easier to catch (Duysak et al., 2014; Rico et al., 2023). Similary, E. alletteratus feeds on a variety of preys, including squids (Falautano et al., 2007), which are more abundant in the same zoness where E. alletteratus is mostly caught, i.e., waters shallower than 100 m and rather low salinity (Sanchez et al., 2008). These seasonal behaviors and habitat preferences likely contribute to the higher number of catches during the warmer seasons (Morales-Nin et al., 2005; Dedeu et al., 2019). Likewise, L. vulgaris, appeared amongst the caught species in fall and winter, coinciding with its spawning aggregations near the coast (Cabanellas-Reboredo et al., 2012; Moreno et al., 2002). Similarly, S. officinalis and P. erythrinus are easier to catch during the spawning season, between spring and summer (Somarakis and Machias, 2002) because they approach shallower areas (Guerra et al., 2016; Somarakis and Machias, 2002).
Spearfishing has been reported as the most selective modality thus, with fewer catches (Dedeu et al., 2019) but catching valued species such as D. sargus, O. vulgaris and S. dumerili which are commonly targeted species in other areas in the Mediterranean (Font and Lloret, 2011; Lloret et al., 2008b; Jiménez-Alvarado et al., 2020; Terlizzi et al., 2022). Studies from western Mediterranean marine protected areas (i.e. Cap de Creus and the Balearic Islands), demonstrate that spearfishing affects at least of 35 species which fishing pressure concentrated in some species that also appear in our study area (e.g. D. sargus, Mullus surmuletus and O. vulgaris (Riera-Batle and M. Grau, 2022; Rocklin et al., 2011). Seasonality also influenced spearfishers’ catch composition as they may shift their effort toward seasonally species, such as S. officinalis during spring or E. marginatus during summer, when the adults aggregate near coastal rocky habitats in spawning grounds (Sbragaglia et al., 2021). The seasonal pattern observed suggests that spearfishers may maintain a relatively stable catch rate year-round.
Shore angling is considered to be the most popular modality in Spain, probably because it requires minimal logistical support, is cost-effective, and is less influenced by sea conditions (Gordoa et al., 2019; Pita et al., 2017). This modality in the Mediterranean commonly targets species from the Sparidae family, which have been estimated to represent, globally, 12% of the MRF catch (Freire et al., 2020). Within this family, S. aurata is one of the most frequently caught species in the Mediterranean Sea (Dedeu et al., 2019), as observed in this present study. In addition, species like S. aurata and O. melanurus are related to summer, consistent with their seasonal inshore migrations during reproduction (Daban et al., 2020; March et al., 2010; Marques et al., 2024).
In general, the Mediterranean Sea is characterized by a strong seasonal pattern (Poulos, 2020), that influences the biology of marine species and, hence, fishing patterns. In our study, seasonal differences in catches seems linked with the life cycle of some species. In addition to the biological traits of the species, the differences found among seasons may also be defined by a social component of the fishers. For example, summer was the season with the greatest number of catches and species biodiversity, as previously reported in different areas of the Mediterranean, where the fishing effort is biased towards the hottest months of the year (Lloret et al., 2008a; Michailidis et al., 2020; Morales-Nin et al., 2005; Pranovi et al., 2016) matching with vacation months and tourism increases in coastal areas, as noted by Lloret et al. (2008a), who observed that almost 35% of the fishers interviewed in 2020–2023 in northern Catalonia were foreigners.
The spatial variability observed seems to be closely related to the geomorphological heterogeneity of the NW Mediterranean, including the Catalan coast. Northern zones, with seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) meadows, and deep, rocky substrates, may favor species such as S. cabrilla and B. boops, caught by shore anglers, L. vulgaris and P. erythrynus fished by boat anglers, and M. surmuletus and O. vulgaris caught by spearfishers (Dulc et al., 1998; Ordines et al., 2014). In the deltaic zones, species such as D. labrax were mainly fished around the Llobregat and Ebre Deltas, a species adapted to euryhaline condition (Cardona, 2000). The central and southern zones, characterized by sandy bottoms, supported species like S. officinalis (Sardo et al., 2023). As commented, in some cases, prey-predator dynamics, such as the diet of E. alletteratus, further explain spatial patterns of abundance (Falautano et al., 2007). On a social scale, the behavior of fishers are probably influenced by the existence of marine protected areas, and they may choose these destinations as their fishing spots (Franceschini et al., 2024; Gómez et al., 2021). These areas (see Figure 1), may function as “fishing hot spots” where fishers take advantage of the ecosystem benefits that the areas offer (Lloret et al., 2008; Marcos et al., 2021).
Previous studies have emphasized the need to focus on particular species at small spatial scales to implement effective management measures (Hyder et al., 2020; Lewin et al., 2006; Morales-Nin et al., 2005). Marine species targeted by MRF requires integrated, science-based information to support decision-making (Pita et al., 2020) and should be evaluated along with commercial fisheries as they also contribute to the potential decline of commercial species at a global scale (Cooke and Cowx, 2006). Although southern European countries such as Spain and Portugal have made progress in developing legal frameworks for MRF (Pita et al., 2018), gaps remain. Current regulations are often unclear to fishers (Pita et al., 2017) and might not be effective in protecting the marine resources. Therefore, studies such as the one presented here aim to provide valuable data to improve the existing regulation and ensure the sustainability of the marine resources. As a result of the information gathered, in September 2024 a new regulation was approved for interior waters of the northern region of Catalonia (Girona province) which encompasses 42 species and establishes measures such as minimum legal size (based on the size at first maturity), daily species bag limits, and biological closures for certain species (RESOLUCIÓ ARP/3253, 2024).
Further progress will be required co-management approaches that combine scientific knowledge with the practical experience of the recreational fishing sector. Such participatory models will help ensure that regulations are ecologically sound, socially acceptable, and effectively enforced. While most recreational fishers are anglers (Arlinghaus et al., 2019), our results highlight the importance of managing each modality separately due to their distinct target species. However, spatial and seasonal variables act as important complementary influences, whose observed relationships with the species composition of the catches are consistent with previous studies conducted along the Catalan coast (Soliva, 2006; Lloret et al., 2008; Font and Lloret, 2011; Font and Lloret, 2014; Dedeu et al., 2019), and in other parts of the Mediterranean Sea (Morales-Nin et al., 2005). A key insight from this work is the importance of developing differentiated management strategies that account for the specific characteristics and impacts of each modality. Although progress has been made in recent years, existing regulations still fall short in addressing the ecological and social dimensions of MRF. Overall, our results offer valuable insights to support the design and implementation of evidence-based management measures for marine recreational fisheries at the administrative and policy levels.
Data availability statement
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.
Ethics statement
Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Written informed consent from the participants was not required to participate in this study in accordance with the national legislation and the institutional requirements.
Author contributions
MP: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. CM: Data curation, Formal Analysis, Visualization, Writing – review & editing. MB: Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Supervision, Validation, Writing – review & editing. MC: Conceptualization, Methodology, Supervision, Validation, Writing – review & editing. LR: Investigation, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing. JC: Funding acquisition, Investigation, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing. EG: Investigation, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing – review & editing.
Funding
The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This study was financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) through the Spanish Fishery Secretary and the Direcció General de Política Marítima i Pesca Sostenible from Generalitat de Catalunya with projects PESCAT (ARP029/18/00003) and CGCAT (ARP140/20/000006). We acknowledge support of the publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Publication Support Initiative (PROA) through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI).
Acknowledgments
This work acknowledges the “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S). We are thankful to all the recreational fishers who participated in the surveys and generously shared their information on fishing trips, catches, and social aspects. We thank Llibori Martinez, Albert Martinez, Joan Carles Fluixà and Carla Fluixà for carrying out the sampling trips in the framework of the MRF data collection that ICATMAR coordinates since 2019. Our sincere appreciation goes to the ICATMAR personnel and colleagues for their support throughout the data collection. Any information provided by local fishers was collected in accordance with ethical considerations prevailing in the country, and we maintained confidentiality of names and locations upon request.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Keywords: shore angling, boat angling, spearfishing, species composition, Catalan coast, Fisheries Management
Citation: Pujol-Baucells M, Mateu-Pinilla C, Blanco M, Carreton M, Recasens L, Company JB and Galimany E (2025) Baseline data of the marine recreational fisheries in the NW Mediterranean Sea: finding the variable that drives the catch. Front. Mar. Sci. 12:1675575. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2025.1675575
Received: 29 July 2025; Accepted: 03 October 2025;
Published: 27 October 2025.
Edited by:
Jie Cao, North Carolina State University, United StatesReviewed by:
Alba Jurado-Ruzafa, Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias (CN IEO, CSIC), SpainMišo Pavičić, Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (IZOR), Croatia
Copyright © 2025 Pujol-Baucells, Mateu-Pinilla, Blanco, Carreton, Recasens, Company and Galimany. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Marta Pujol-Baucells, YmF1Y2VsbHNAaWNtLmNzaWMuZXM=