Date: 2026-01-15Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/112 of 9 January 2026 establishing a fisheries closure for undulate ray in Union waters of 8 for vessels flying the flag of Spain
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
**Executive Summary**
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/112, issued on January 9, 2026, establishes a fisheries closure for undulate ray in Union waters of zone 8 for vessels flying the flag of Spain. This regulation is due to the exhaustion of the fishing quota allocated to Spain for this stock in 2025. The closure is effective from May 11, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Quota Exhaustion:**
* The fishing quota allocated to Spain for undulate ray in Union waters of 8 for 2025 is deemed exhausted.
* **Prohibitions:**
* Fishing for undulate ray by vessels flying the flag of Spain is prohibited starting May 11, 2025.
* Prohibited activities include searching for fish, shooting, setting, or hauling fishing gear for the purpose of fishing undulate ray.
* Transshipping, retaining on board, processing on board, transferring, caging, fattening, and landing of undulate ray caught by these vessels remain authorized for catches taken prior to May 11, 2025.
* Unintended catches of the stock by those vessels shall be brought and retained on board the fishing vessels, recorded, landed and counted against quotas.
* **Entry into Force:**
* The regulation enters into force the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
**Impact Analysis**
**Spain**
*Impact:* Spanish vessels are prohibited from fishing for undulate ray in Union waters of zone 8 after May 11, 2025.
*Action Required:* Spanish vessels must cease all fishing activities targeting undulate ray in the specified area from the specified date and comply with the rules for retaining and landing unintended catches.
Key Entities Referenced
COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2026/112: Regulation establishing a fisheries closure for undulate ray in Union waters of 8 for vessels flying the flag of Spain.
Spain: The member state whose vessels are subject to the fisheries closure for undulate ray in Union waters of 8.
Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009: Council Regulation establishing a Union control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy.
Union waters of 8: The specific geographical area (fishing zone) where the undulate ray fishery closure applies.
Council Regulation (EU) 2025/202: Regulation laying down quotas for 2025, relevant to the undulate ray stock.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/112 15.1.2026
COMMISSION REGULATION(EU) 2026/112
of 9 January 2026
establishing a fisheries closure for undulate ray in Union waters of 8 for vessels flying the
flag of Spain
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Union control system for
ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy, amending Regulations (EC) No 847/96, (EC)
No 2371/2002, (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 2115/2005, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC)
No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 1300/2008, (EC) No 1342/2008 and repealing
Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1627/94 and (EC) No 1966/2006(1), and in particular Article 36(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Council Regulation (EU) 2025/202(2)lays down quotas for 2025.
(2) According to the information received by the Commission, catches of the stock of undulate ray in Union waters of 8
by vessels flying the flag of or registered in Spain have exhausted the quota allocated for 2025.
(3) It is therefore necessary to prohibit certain fishing activities for that stock.
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Quota exhaustion
The fishing quota allocated to Spain for the stock of undulate ray in Union waters of 8 for 2025 referred to in the Annex
shall be deemed to be exhausted from the date set out in that Annex.
Article 2
Prohibitions
1. Fishing for the stock referred to in Article 1 by vessels flying the flag of or registered in Spain shall be prohibited from
the date set out in the Annex. In particular it shall be prohibited to search for fish, shoot, set or haul a fishing gear for the
purpose of fishing that stock.
2. Transshipping, retaining on board, processing on board, transferring, caging, fattening and landing of fish and fishery
products from that stock caught by those vessels shall remain authorised for catches taken prior to that date.
(1) OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1224/oj.
(2) Council Regulation (EU) 2025/202 of 30 January 2025 fixing for 2025 and 2026 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks,
applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters, and amending Regulation (EU) 2024/257 as
regards fishing opportunities for 2025 (OJ L, 2025/202, 31.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/202/oj).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2026/112/oj 1/3EN
OJ L, 15.1.2026
3. Unintended catches of species from that stock by those vessels shall be brought and retained on board the fishing
vessels, recorded, landed and counted against quotas in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of
the European Parliament and of the Council(3).
Article 3
Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 9 January 2026.
For the Commission,
On behalf of the President,
Costas KADIS
Member of the Commission
(3) Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries
Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC)
No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 22, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/
eli/reg/2013/1380/oj).
2/3 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2026/112/ojEN
OJ L, 15.1.2026
ANNEX
No 16/TQ202
Member State Spain
Stock RJU/8-C.
Species Undulate ray (Raja undulata)
Zone Union waters of 8
Closing date 11.5.2025
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2026/112/oj 3/3