The EC wants even greater restrictions on fishing in the Baltic Sea. What do fishermen say?

The EC justifies the significant increase in the limits for cod incidental catches (so-called unavoidable by-catches) due to the poor state of this species, whose stocks – despite the ban introduced in 2020 – have not recovered. It proposes to reduce the allocations for unavoidable by-catches of cod in the western Baltic Sea by 73% and cod in the eastern Baltic Sea – by 68%.

Furthermore, the EC intends to halve the limits applicable to incidental catches of herring in the western Baltic Sea. It noted that stock numbers in the region remained below minimum levels. It also proposes to abolish exemptions for small-scale coastal fisheries; exceptions – according to the EC proposal – should be maintained only in the case of unavoidable by-catches of herring in the western Baltic Sea.

The situation is better for Atlantic herring in the central Baltic Sea, where numbers have risen above the minimum level since last year. Therefore, the EC believes that the catch limit could be slightly increased (up to 108%).

The EC also recommends a significant reduction in sprat fishing. As it notes, the size of the sprat stock has fallen significantly due to low reproduction. Scientists warn that numbers could fall below healthy levels if reproduction is lower than expected. Therefore, the EC proposes setting quotas at a level that “reduces the risk of stock sizes falling below the minimum level”.

The condition of salmon varies – some populations are weak, others are healthy. Therefore, the EC recommends adapting the ban and the exceptions applicable this year. It also wants to ban recreational fishing for farmed salmon, which inevitably also kills wild salmon.

“I am concerned about the poor state of fisheries resources in the Baltic Sea,” Vice-President Marosz Shefczovicz, in charge of the European Green Deal, was quoted in the EC announcement. “(The need) to address the dire condition of key commercial species is becoming more and more obvious every year,” he noted.

According to him, the consequences of such a situation mainly affect fishermen. “To ensure that local fishermen can once again earn a living from catching fish, it is necessary to fully implement EU legislation at all levels,” Głosczovicz stressed.

The EC recalled that the Baltic Sea is the most polluted sea in Europe. The causes of this state of affairs are the loss of biodiversity, climate change, overfishing and the increasing levels of pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, waste and detergents containing phosphorus.

On Monday, the EC proposed quotas for nine out of ten EU-managed fish species in the Baltic Sea. Limits for Bothnian herring will be proposed later.

The final decision on fishing quotas in the Baltic Sea will be taken by Member States in the Council of the EU.