On 8 May, the official source of the ministry of the sea told Lusa that Portugal and Spain proposed for this year a minimum of 10,799 tonnes, to share between the two countries after the European Commission suggested a limit of 10,300 tonnes.

The government is to keep the ban of fishing sardines decided in September, according to an order published in the state journal Diário da República on 15 May until 3 June.

According to the law, the limit of sardines (Sardina Pilchardus) captured through seine fishing by the Portuguese fleet is 5,000 tonnes.

These 5,000 tonnes are to be distributed among the group of vessels whose owners are members of the organisations and producers for sardines.

Since September 2018, fishermen from Portugal and Spain have been unable to catch sardines in order to protect the stock, following a recommendation of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) for 2019, with the agreement of the European Commission.