The EU Commission continues to advocate strict fishing quotas so that the fish stocks in the Baltic Sea can recover.
According to the EU Commission, the poor ecological condition of the Baltic Sea requires adherence to far-reaching catch restrictions for fisheries. Only if everyone acts together will we be able to count on healthy fish stocks again in the future, said the responsible EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius on Tuesday when presenting a proposal for the fishing quotas for 2023. The poor ecological condition of the Baltic Sea continues to cause concern.
Specifically, the EU Commission is proposing, among other things, to maintain the current ban on fishing for cod and herring in the western Baltic Sea in the coming year. Only cod and herring, which are caught when fishing for other species, should be allowed to be sold in certain quantities. The Commission is proposing a total by-catch limit of 489 tonnes for cod and 788 tonnes for herring.
‘Unfortunately, the status of cod in the western Baltic Sea has deteriorated and biomass has dropped to an all-time low in 2021,’ the commission said. The stock size of herring there is still below biologically safe limits.
The Commission only recommends a significant relaxation of the restrictions for catching herring in the central Baltic Sea and for catching plaice. In the coming year, 11,313 tons of plaice should be allowed to be caught – 25 percent more than this year. According to the Commission’s proposal, the total allowable catch for herring in the central Baltic Sea is to increase by 14 percent to 61,051 tons.
The governments of the EU member states will now deal with the Brussels authority’s proposal. The final catch quotas for 2023 are to be set at a ministerial meeting on October 17th and 18th.
Press release from the EU Commission
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
