- The EU Commission aims to decrease fishing activities in the Baltic Sea.
The EU Commission proposes limiting the amount of fish caught in the Baltic Sea by 2025, as outlined in a recent announcement. The proposal involves decreasing quotas for sprat, salmon, and cod, as indicated in a press statement. For instance, the sprat quota is expected to decrease by approximately 42%, dropping to around 117,000 tonnes. On the other hand, fishermen in the central Baltic Sea will be allowed to catch more herring, with an increase of roughly 108%, and a quota of about 83,900 tonnes.
Vice-President of the EU Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, voiced concerns about the deteriorating health of fish stocks in the Baltic Sea in the press release, emphasizing the need for intervention to address the poor condition of economically significant fish species.
Decisions by Member States
Every year, the EU Commission drafts proposals on the maximum fish catch allowable from EU waters. These limits are designed to prevent stock collapse. Ultimately, it's the fisheries ministers of EU member states who decide on the final quotas - in Germany's case, this responsibility falls to Cem Özdemir (Greens).
The ministers are scheduled to discuss the proposal in October. The countries are not obligated to adhere to the scientific recommendations. Often, they set quotas higher than the recommendations. The overall catch quota is then divided among national quotas for the member states.
As per a report by the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food in 2021, Germany's deep-sea and coastal fishery landed the most fish in Bremen. This was followed by Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein, and Lower Saxony.
The EU Commission's proposal to limit fish catch includes decreasing the quotas for fish like sprat, salmon, and cod, which includes a significant reduction for sprat. Vice-President Šefčovič highlighted the concern for the deteriorating health of economically significant fish species, including fish, in the Baltic Sea.
