Ozdemir advocates for a leniency period for Baltic fishermen.
During the ongoing discussions about the permitted fish catch quantities in the Baltic Sea, Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir from Germany has urged for an extension of exceptions for tiny coastal fishermen. He mentioned, while sidelining the negotiations in Luxembourg, that the financial base for German coastal fishing needs to be preserved. Özdemir stated that small fishermen in coastal regions have "minimal influence" on the recovery of fish stocks.
Specifically, extensive fishing bans for cod and herring have been in effect in the western Baltic Sea impacting German fishermen for a few years now. These exceptions have enabled small coastal fishermen to continue consulting small quantities of herring. However, the EU Commission aims to eliminate these exceptions for the upcoming year, a decision that Germany and other Baltic Sea countries disagree with.
Furthermore, the allowed bycatch is intended to decrease significantly due to the endangered species. Bycatch refers to fish which are unintentionally caught and often die in the process. The EU Commission plans to reduce the allowed bycatch for cod by 73% to 93 tonnes, and for herring by 50% to 394 tonnes.
Every year, the EU Commission proposes quotas based on recommendations from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). According to these scientists, the species diversity in the Baltic Sea has faced pressure for years due to severe pollution and chronic overfishing. Many stocks are at risk. For a long time, the German Kutter and Coastal Fishermen Association has been vocal about how EU fishing quotas no longer support a sustainable fishery.
Fishing activities in the Baltic Sea continue to be a subject of debate, with Minister Özdemir advocating for the preservation of the financial base for German coastal fishing, given that small fishermen have minimal influence on fish stock recovery. Despite the ongoing fishing bans affecting cod and herring, exceptions have been granted to tiny coastal fishermen, allowing them to continue with limited herring catch.
