The Xunta de Galicia on 28 September 2026, agreed with representatives of the marisqueo sector to close three open-access harvesting areas in the Ría de Arousa for six months. The shellfish beds affected are Cabío, O Bohído and Os Lombos do Ulla. The closure runs from October 2026 through March 2027 and is intended to help stocks recover after high mortality.
The Consellería do Mar cites scientific assessments by the Centro de Investigacións Mariñas. These document significant mortality among mussels and cockles following successive storms and unusually low salinity. At the same time, the surveys point to signs of positive recruitment, including a strong cohort of berberecho in the Lombos do Ulla. The closure is intended to protect this new growth and secure the basis for sustainable use in the future.
To mitigate the economic impact, the regional government announced support measures. Under the provisions of the Diario Oficial de Galicia , up to three of the six closure months can be recognised as a temporary cessation of activity for the purposes of aid. The administration points to existing rules for temporary suspensions, some co-financed with EU funds. Current programmes to stabilise the sector are to be coordinated with the measure.
In recent months, the sector had highlighted the difficult situation and called for additional protection and financial instruments. Analyses cited parasitic pressures, including Marteilia cochillia, as one contributing factor, alongside hydrological influences such as exceptional rainfall and increased river flows. The Xunta de Galicia stresses that the decision is the result of coordinated, science-based management and will be implemented in close cooperation with the sector.
The measure is temporary and will be accompanied by further monitoring. According to the Consellería do Mar, continuous monitoring and field sampling will inform any follow-up decisions. Depending on how stocks develop, the authorities may order openings, extensions or additional protective measures. The immediate trigger is the agreement of 28 September 2026; existing aid rules remain in place and will apply during the forthcoming closure.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).