Fishery: The 2016 quotas for fishing in the Baltic Sea are decided

Author: BalticSea2020
Year published: 2015

Yesterday the EU's agriculture and fisheries ministers met in Luxembourg to negotiate the Baltic Sea’s fishing quotas for 2016. The ministers agreed on a 20% reduction from last year´s quotas for cod in the Baltic Sea, resulting in a total allowable catch of maximum 41,143 tones for the eastern stock and 12,720 tons for the western stock.

Member countries agreed on additional measures for the western stock because it is below sustainable biological limits. One of the decided measures is relocation and extension of the shutdown period in a spawning area for cod.

ICES (The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) is a global organization that develops science and advice to support the sustainable use of the oceans. They annual recommend fishing quotas to the Commission. ICES 2016 suggestions for cod quotas in the Baltic Sea was a maximum of 29,220 tons for the eastern stock and 7,797 tons for the western stock - far lower quotas than those established in Luxembourg yesterday.

The quotas for sprat will be lowered in 2016, by 5% compared to 2015, to a total allowable catch of 202,320 tons.

 

 

Our focus areas

fisheryThe stock of predatory fish is crucial for the state of the Baltic Sea. Therefore, the Foundation worked to ensure that the environmental effects of fishing should be a central part of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy. The Foundation also worked on projects to increase the proportion of predatory fish, such as cod, pike and perch. Read more

eutroEutrophication is caused by emissions of nutrients that come from e.g. agriculture, water treatment plants, sewage and transportation. To find measures that could reduce emissions the Foundation worked on projects in agriculture, industrial animal farms and the coastal zone, to research on measures to catch or bind nutrients. Read more

seagull-informationTo create awareness about the threats and opportunities the Baltic Sea is facing, the Foundation initiated a 10-year media and film project with journalist Folke Rydén and photographer Mattias Klum. The Foundation has also supported Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre (Baltic Eye), and Baltic Sea Science Center at Skansen. Read more