The European Commission has adopted a proposal for fishing opportunities for 2019 for the commercially most important fish stocks in the Baltic Sea. It proposes to increase catches for plaice, western cod, sprat, Gulf of Riga herring and the main basin salmon stocks. Reductions are proposed for the remaining stocks covered by the proposal.
"We are proposing a balanced package that will ensure sustainable fisheries in the Baltic Sea. The good news is that important quotas for Western Baltic cod can be increased, after several years of hardship for the fishermen. The sacrifices are paying off as the stock is recovering. As per usual, the picture is mixed, as this year we will have to reduce the quotas for Western herring in order to make sure that it is soon in a better state,” said Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs.
The proposed TACs are based on ICES advice from and follow the Baltic multiannual management plan adopted in 2016 by Member States and the European Parliament.
Efforts by stakeholders in recent years have already succeeded in rebuilding important stocks in the Baltic Sea and in allowing that, where complete scientific advice is available, seven out of eight catch limits are set in line with the principle of maximum sustainable yield, covering 95% of fish landings in volume. But further action remains necessary to ensure all stocks grow to levels that allow for sustainable exploitation.
The Council will now examine the Commission proposal, and European Ministers for Fisheries aim at adopting it during their meeting of 15-16 October.
Western Baltic cod is a key target species for many small-scale fishermen, and there is good news with a strongly increasing stock size. The Commission proposes to increase the total allowable catches by 31%. The Commission also proposes to lift the current closure period and to set a year-round bag limit for recreational fishermen of five specimens.
For eastern Baltic cod, scientists advise that catches should be reduced as the fishing pressure is too high on this stock. The Commission is therefore following a precautionary approach and proposes a reduction of 15%.
The largest proposed decrease (63%) for 2019 concerns the western herring stock, which is no longer considered to be within safe biological limits. This is not due to a reduced stock size but due to the fact that the most recent scientific advice advocates a bigger stock size to ensure that enough offspring is produced and to avoid the risk of stock collapse.
For central Baltic herring the Commission is proposing a reduction of 26%, following the plan that was agreed by Member States and the European Parliament. For the Gulf of Bothnia a 7% reduction is proposed, while Riga herring can be increased by 9%.
The two Baltic plaice stocks continue to grow. The Commission proposes to follow scientific advice based on the maximum sustainable yield which would lead to an increase by 43%.
Possible measures concerning European eel will be addressed by the Commission in its proposal for fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and the North Sea, which will be adopted later this year.
