Species

Coastal species

What bites in each area and season, which baits work and the minimum legal size of each fish.

Area

Month

Technique

23 species · November · in Cantabria

European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
Peak season

European seabass

Dicentrarchus labrax · Sea bass

Min. 42 cmPescaREC
White seabream (Diplodus sargus)
Peak season

White seabream

Diplodus sargus · Sargo

Min. 20 cm
Pouting (Trisopterus luscus)
Peak season

Pouting

Trisopterus luscus · Bib

Min. 15 cm
European squid (Loligo vulgaris)
Peak season

European squid

Loligo vulgaris · Squid

Size set yearly
Ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta)
Common

Ballan wrasse

Labrus bergylta · Wrasse

Min. 22 cm
Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)
Common

Gilthead seabream

Sparus aurata · Gilthead bream

Min. 19 cm
Thicklip grey mullet (Chelon labrosus)
Common

Thicklip grey mullet

Chelon labrosus · Mullet

Min. 20 cm
Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)
Common

Atlantic horse mackerel

Trachurus trachurus · Scad

Min. 15 cm
Common sole (Solea solea)
Common

Common sole

Solea solea · Dover sole

Min. 24 cmPescaREC
Pollack (Pollachius pollachius)
Common

Pollack

Pollachius pollachius · Pollock

Min. 30 cmPescaREC
European hake (Merluccius merluccius)
Common

European hake

Merluccius merluccius · Hake

Min. 27 cmPescaREC
Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris)
Common

Common octopus

Octopus vulgaris · Octopus

Min. 1 kg
European conger (Conger conger)
Common

European conger

Conger conger · Conger eel

Min. 58 cm
Black seabream (Spondyliosoma cantharus)
Occasional

Black seabream

Spondyliosoma cantharus · Black bream

Min. 23 cm
Striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus)
Occasional

Striped red mullet

Mullus surmuletus · Red mullet

Min. 15 cm
Comber (Serranus cabrilla)
Occasional

Comber

Serranus cabrilla

Min. 15 cm
Bogue (Boops boops)
Occasional

Bogue

Boops boops

Min. 11 cm
Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)
Out of season

Atlantic mackerel

Scomber scombrus · Mackerel

Min. 20 cm
Garfish (Belone belone)
Out of season

Garfish

Belone belone · Garpike

Min. 25 cm
Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)
Out of season

Common cuttlefish

Sepia officinalis · Cuttlefish

Size set yearly
Albacore (Thunnus alalunga)
Out of season

Albacore

Thunnus alalunga · Albacore tuna

No size limitPescaREC
Salema (Sarpa salpa)
Out of season

Salema

Sarpa salpa · Dreamfish

Min. 15 cm
Greater weever (Trachinus draco)
Out of season

Greater weever

Trachinus draco · Weever fish

No size limit

Rules in Cantabria

  • • You need a recreational sea fishing licence.
  • • Bag limit: 5 kg per licence per day (or a single fish if it weighs more).
  • • Selling or trading your catch is forbidden.
  • Sea bass, pollack, sole, hake and albacore, among others: declare every catch in the PescaREC app within 24 hours, including fish you release.
  • • Fish are measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail; squid and cuttlefish by the mantle. If it is undersized, release it alive.

Regulation: Decree 45/2002 (annex IV, sizes) and Decree 99/2019

Official sources:Decreto 99/2019 (Cantabria) Orden DES/06/2025 (veda de la sepia) Real Decreto 214/2026 (PescaREC)

Checked on 23 October 2026. Rules change: if in doubt, check the official source.

Recreational fishing rules in Cantabria
Photo credits