Fishing: German Baltic Sea fishermen threatens herring-catching

To protect the herring in the western Baltic Sea, the EU Commission has proposed an end to the exemption from the catch ban. Overall, the catch options for almost all fish stocks should decrease significantly next year, as can be seen from the Commission’s announcement. Exceptions are only the fishing quantities for Sprats, Hering in the Middle Baltic Sea and salmon in Gulf of Finland, which according to the Commission should remain the same or increase by one percent.

German Baltic Sea fishermen are currently allowed to catch herring with small boats and passive fishing equipment such as adjusting networks. In addition, a certain amount can be caught as a so -called by -catch when fishing in other species. According to the Commission’s proposal, only the by-catching for western Baltic Sea herrings should remain. The permitted fishing amount would halve at 394 tons.

EU countries do not have to adhere to the commission proposal

Every year on the basis of scientific recommendations from the International Council for Marine Research (ICES), the Commission develops suggestions on how much fish can be trapped from EU oceans. However, the quantities are finally decided by the Fisherminines of the EU countries. You don’t have to stick to the recommendations. The exception of the catch ban for herring, for example, was extended for the small coastal fishing last year, although the Commission had also proposed a complete ban.

The Commission justifies its current proposals by the fact that many fish stocks shrank and would have to recover. “I am concerned about the poor condition of the fish stocks in the Baltic Sea and the effects that this has on local fishermen,” said fishing commissioner Costa Kadis. Many fish stocks are about to collapse, and the ecosystem worsens.

The responsible ministers of the EU countries deal with the commission proposal at the end of October.