Aid for the definitive decommissioning of clam dredgers in the Gulf of Cádiz

The Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of the Regional Government of Andalusia has approved the Order of September 9, 2026, which establishes the regulatory bases for aid for the definitive decommissioning of shellfish vessels that capture wedge clams (Chamelea gallina) using hydraulic dredge gear in the Gulf of Cádiz. The regulation is published in the Official Gazette of the Regional Government of Andalusia (BOJA) number 180, dated September 16, 2026, within the other provisions section, under text no. 11896 and spanning 26 pages.

The measure responds to the crisis situation facing the Andalusian shellfish sector dedicated to the capture of wedge clams, a species of clam with high commercial value whose exploitation with hydraulic dredges is concentrated in the Gulf of Cádiz fishing ground. With these bases, the regional administration articulates the regulatory framework that will allow for the compensation of shipowners who opt for the definitive cessation of the fishing activity of their vessels.

Purpose and beneficiaries of the aid

The order regulates the general conditions for granting aid intended for the definitive decommissioning of shellfish vessels dedicated to the capture of wedge clams. The objective is to facilitate the orderly exit of the fleet in a fishing ground subject to strong pressure and recurrent closures, offering an economic alternative to the affected shipowners.

Among the elements that define the aid regime are:

• The accreditation of shellfish activity using hydraulic dredge gear in the Gulf of Cádiz.
• The definitive cessation of the vessel’s fishing activity as a condition for accessing compensation.
• The establishment of the regulatory bases as a preliminary step to the subsequent call for aid.

Regulatory framework and processing

The regulation is part of the fisheries policy of the Regional Government of Andalusia to reorganize the shellfish fleet of the Cádiz and Huelva coastlines. As these are regulatory bases, the order sets the requirements, the procedure, and the granting criteria, leaving the specific call and the amount of the aid for a later phase.

The text, consisting of 26 pages, is published in the other provisions section of BOJA number 180, corresponding to Wednesday, September 16, 2026, under text reference no. 11896.

Relevance for the sector

The publication of these bases represents a decisive step for a sector that has endured years of difficulties due to the depletion of the resource and restrictions on wedge clam fishing in the Gulf of Cádiz. The definitive decommissioning of the vessels will affect numerous families in the Andalusian fleet, who will see this aid as a means of compensation for the cessation of an increasingly unviable activity.

With this order, the regional administration provides legal coverage for a restructuring process that seeks to balance the sustainability of the fishing grounds with the social protection of the shellfish gatherers, in a context where the survival of the hydraulic dredge fleet depends on the sector’s capacity for adaptation.

Source: Official Gazette of the Junta de Andalucía (BOJA), number 180, September 16, 2026, other provisions (official reference: text no. 11896).