Mandatory online catch reporting for Sea Anglers entered into force on 10 January 2026

The provisions focusing on electronic catch reporting of recreational catches in marine waters – established under the revised EU Fisheries Control Regulation have entered into force on 10 January 2026. From that date, recreational sea anglers across the European Union are required to report specified catches electronically, using either the EU RecFishing mobile application or an equivalent national online reporting system – and this across all EU marine areas.

This marks a key step in the implementation of the reformed EU fisheries control framework, aiming to harmonise the collection of recreational catch data while respecting anglers’ privacy.

Background: EU Fisheries control reform – impact for recreational fisheriesThe revised EU Fisheries Control Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/2842) was adopted in November 2023 and entered into force on 9 January 2024, following five years of legislative work between the Commission, the European Parliament and member states.
The revision aims to modernise and simplify fisheries monitoring, ensure compliance with the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), and close longstanding data gaps — including some related to recreational fishing.

Under this new legal framework, recreational fishermen who catch certain species in EU marine waters will need to report those catches electronically, helping to establish a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the recreational fishing landscape.

The European Anglers Alliance (EAA) has welcomed the enhanced clarity on catch reporting, noting that mandatory reporting can improve scientific understanding of recreational fisheries’ impact on stocks. At the same time, EAA emphasises that socio-economic benefits — including angling’s contribution to coastal communities and public health — should be considered alongside environmental effects in future policy decisions.

What changes for sea anglers from 10 January 2026

From 10 January 2026, recreational sea anglers are subject to the following obligations:

Mandatory electronic reporting of catches of selected species;
The reporting obligation starts in the individual EU countries as soon as the App is available (progressive introduction)
Same-day reporting, as stipulated by the EU Fisheries Control Regulation;
Use of either the EU RecFishing app or a national online reporting system, depending on the Member State.

The objective is to establish a more reliable and harmonised understanding of recreational fishing catches in EU marine waters, supporting science-based fisheries management.

In its latest press release, the European Commission encouraged recreational fishers to “familiarize themselves with the system as it is rolled out. (and) the mobile app to record catches will become available progressively as each EU country completes its national rollout”.

Several coastal Member States will use the EU RecFishing app (see list below), developed by the European Commission, in close cooperation with national authorities, scientists and recreational fishing stakeholders.

The following EU countries have confirmed they will work with the EU RecFishing application:

Belgium
Cyprus
Denmark
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Malta
The Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania; and
Sweden

Recreational fishers in the 13 countries listed above can contact their national authorities or angling association for more information on the rollout and implementation of the online reporting system.

Other coastal EU Member States developed their own national online reporting system (app). In those countries, both domestic and visiting foreign anglers will be required to use the respective national platform when fishing in their waters.

Each coastal EU country – as underlined by the Commission’s press release – remains “responsible for national implementation – whether they use RecFishing or their own national app – including user guidance, support services, and the rules that apply in their territorial waters”.

The target species list will be expanded from January 10, 2030, based on scientific and economic evaluation criteria.

How data is shared

Under the EU framework:

Individual anglers submit catch data via the RecFishing app or a national system;
Data are first transmitted to the Member State workspace/server and handled by the competent national authorities;
Coastal EU countries submit data monthly and annually for certain species and stocks (only aggregated data are transmitted to the EU level).

This approach ensures that data protection and privacy are safeguarded while enabling EU-wide analysis for fisheries management purposes.

What the RecFishing App is not

The RecFishing app is explicitly not intended to act as a:

Tracking tool for anglers’ movements;
Replacement for national fishing licences;
System that collects more data than required by EU law;
Perfect solution that meets every user’s expectation;
Mechanism to disrupt competition in the recreational fishing app market; nor
Tool to “control” or police recreational anglers.

Its sole purpose is to facilitate the electronic collection of catch data as required under EU legislation while also helping “scientist understand how much fish is being caught (from marine recreational fishing) and (how it) support(s) sustainable management of fish stocks”. According to the EU Commission “it will also provide a clear picture of fishing activity across different sectors”.

A screenshot of the new “RecFish App” and an excerpt from the presentation given by EU Commission representatives at the “EFTTA Angling Summit” on November 27, 2025, as part of the AngelWelt Berlin trade fair. © DAFV

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Next steps

From 10 January 2026: phased introduction of the mandatory electronic catch reporting regime across participating Member States.
Training, guidance and communication efforts will continue to ensure anglers understand how to use the app or national systems, and what species catches must be reported.
Ongoing dialogue between the European Commission, Member States and stakeholders, including angling associations like the EAA, will help refine the implementation and address feedback from the recreational fishing community.

The entry into force of mandatory online catch reporting for recreational sea fishing represents a significant milestone in the EU’s fisheries control reform. While the new rules introduce additional obligations for anglers, they are designed to improve the evidence base for fisheries management while respecting privacy and national systems.

The coming months will be crucial to ensure a smooth rollout and to maintain constructive cooperation between authorities and the recreational fishing community across Europe.