Asturias approves inland fishing regulations for 2027 without salmon

The Regional Ministry of Rural Environment and Agricultural Policy of the Principality of Asturias has approved the regulations governing inland water fishing for the 2027 season, with salmon banned for the entire season and a general quota of six trout per fisherman per day. The decision is published in the Official Gazette of the Principality of Asturias (BOPA) no. 209, dated October 28, 2026, via the Resolution of October 23, 2026 (Code 2026-08870), signed by the regional minister Marcelino Marcos Líndez.

The text follows a meeting on October 19, 2026, of the Council of Aquatic Ecosystems and Inland Water Fishing of the Principality of Asturias, the advisory body of the regional administration, as well as technical reports from the Wildlife Service and the General Directorate of Agricultural Planning. The regulation is based on the Law of the Principality of Asturias 6/2002, of June 18, which requires these rules to be approved annually according to Article 19, and on Law 42/2007, of December 13, on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity; organic competence derives from Decree 88/2023, of July 2. Fishing area permits are governed by the Resolution of September 4, 2026, which approved the application and award bases for the 2027 season.

Salmon, banned for the entire season

The regulations declare the fishing of salmon, eel—except as regulated in glass eel fisheries—, shad, and allis shad as banned. For trout, the reo (brown trout), and other non-salmonid species, the general period runs from the third Sunday of March to August 15, with delayed openings in mountain and salmon-bearing areas, which begin on the third Sunday of May.

• Catch-and-release areas and catch-and-release stretches in non-salmonid zones: until October 15.
• Border areas with Galicia (Navia and Eo) and with Cantabria in the Deva up to the El Arenal area: closing on July 31.
• Intensive fishing reservoirs of La Granda, San Andrés (Aboño), and Trasona: from March 1 to November 30.
• American crayfish: from the third Sunday of March to November 30.
• Main salmonid stretches of the Cares, Deva, Sella, Narcea, Nalón, and Esva: from May 1, trout larger than 24 centimeters are authorized, using only dead piscardo (minnow).

Anyone who accidentally catches a salmon using gear authorized for trout must release it carefully and report it to the sealing center of their basin (Xesteira in the Eo, Casielles in the Esva, La Rodriga in Nalón-Narcea, Portazgo in the Sella, and Panes in the Deva).

Quotas, sizes, and closed days

The quota for brown trout and rainbow trout is six specimens per angler per day, reduced to three in the Alfilorios reservoir and the Enguilu lagoon; other non-salmonid species have no quota. Once the limit is reached, that species may still be fished using catch-and-release methods.

• Brown and rainbow trout: 19 centimeters in general, 17 in mountain areas, and 25 in the Eo river.
• Sea bass: 36 centimeters; plaice or dab: 25; mullet and grey mullet: 20.
• Thursdays are closed seasons for all species in all areas.
• Mondays are also closed seasons, except for catch-and-release fishing in beats and catch-and-release free zones; this exception does not apply to intensive fishing reservoirs, and when Mondays or Thursdays are national or regional holidays, catch-and-keep fishing is permitted.
• Hours: from 7:00 to 23:00 in June and from 8:45 to 19:00 in November, among other monthly periods.

Closed seasons by basin and beat regime

The resolution establishes partial closed seasons at specific points: the tail of the La Granda reservoir until July 15, and the right bank of Pilotuerto (Narcea), the left bank of Tanes, and the left bank of Rioseco until June 15. Fishing refuges with total closed seasons include sections such as Piagomayor in the Eo and the stretch between the Ñoña dam and the tail of the La Peral pool in the Sella.

Salmonid river beats are organized into traditional, catch-and-release, and partial; the latter allow permit-free days on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, and become completely free from July 16. The beats of the main channel of the Eo and the border areas of the Deva are closed for trout and other species from July 31. The zoning covers the basins of the Eo, Navia, Esva, Nalón, Narcea, Sella, Cares-Deva, and small coastal basins.

Gear, baits, and guarantees

Only rod fishing is authorized. For natural bait, one hook per rod is permitted, with a minimum size greater than 4.5 millimeters in height and 5 in base, and a maximum of 13 by 14 millimeters; with artificial lures, up to four hooks per rig, and hooks must be single and single-barbed. Live fish, meat worms or “asticot”, roe, shrimp, “bingo”, and chumming the waters are prohibited, and the landing net may not exceed 50 centimeters.

The minimum distance between anglers is 15 meters, extended to 30 for fly fishing. Those under 16 years of age do not require a license if accompanied, and their catches count toward the quota of the adult guarding them. An optional appeal for reversal may be filed against the resolution within one month, or a contentious-administrative appeal within two months before the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Asturias.

The 2027 campaign maintains the salmon ban and brings forward closures in the basins shared with Galicia and Cantabria, two decisions that directly affect the fishing beats, fishing societies, and the thousands of recreational anglers who apply for permits in Asturian rivers each season. The calendar, quotas, and size limits are enforceable as of the date of publication, and non-compliance is subject to the surveillance of the Guardería (Game Wardens) of each basin.

Source: Official Gazette of the Principality of Asturias (BOPA), no. 209 of October 28, 2026, section I. Principality of Asturias, page 1 (official reference: Code 2026-08870).