News
December 8, 2022
NGOs call on Macron to protect more sea ahead of COP 15
Three days before the opening of COP15, the 15th meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, several NGOs published an open letter in the french paper Le Monde calling on president Emmanuel Macron to send a message to the world that France is serious when it comes to protecting its marine areas. In the … Continued
November 3, 2022
Time to stop fishing and start restoring habitats – zero catches and zero anthropogenic mortality advised for European eel
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, published its scientific advice for European eel for 2023 earlier today. It reinforces last year’s advice, of zero catches in all habitats and for all life stages, by also highlighting conservation aspects and advising zero mortality for all non-fisheries related human impacts. The European eel … Continued
November 2, 2022
Commission tables new measures for eel recovery
Commissioner Sinkevičius has been clear that status quo is not an option for the critically endangered European eel. The new proposals reinforces existing measures rather than going for a full closure in line with scientific advice. To have any significant effect, Member States must reciprocate for eel fisheries in inland waters, as well as step … Continued
November 1, 2022
Registration now open for Swedish webinar on Baltic cod
On the 9th of December at 13.00-15.45 CET The Fisheries Secretariat will be arranging the webinar “Östersjötorsken – status och framtid” (held in Swedish) in collaboration with Länsstyrelsen Skåne and Marint centrum Simrishamn. The aim of the webinar is to disseminate current scientific knowledge about the status of cod in the Baltic Sea and of … Continued
October 21, 2022
Photobook handover during October council in Luxembourg
On the 17th of October, experts from the organisations in the Return of the Cod campaign travelled to Luxembourg where fisheries ministers from Baltic countries and the European Commission met to decide fishing limits in the Baltic Sea for 2023. Our experts were there to remind policy makers that this year is a vital year for … Continued
October 18, 2022
Fishing opportunities for 2023 decided in short October council – sensitive Central Baltic herring quota increased by 32%
Earlier this week, the EU Fisheries Ministers decided the fishing opportunities for the Baltic Sea in 2023. It was an unusually swift decision, announced shortly after lunch. For most of the fish stocks, the outcome of the negotiations followed the Commission’s proposal, except for sprat with a lesser decreased than proposed, and for the central … Continued
October 17, 2022
Some good news for overfished stocks in the Baltic Sea but could be too little too late
Press release from: The Fisheries Secretariat, Seas at Risk, Our Fish, Oceana, Coalition Clean Baltic, WWF Baltic Ecoregion Programme and the Danish Society for Nature Conservation Baltic Sea EU member states choose to set some quotas at precautionary levels to safeguard depleted fish populations but fail to proactively protect declining herring and cod stocks in … Continued
October 14, 2022
Public art action to end overfishing in the Baltic
Next week, on the 17-18 of October, the EU Fisheries Council meeting will take place in Luxembourg, where the fishing quotas for 2023 will be negotiated.There will be a public art action outside the European Convention Centrewhere the council meeting will take place. Photos will be available here on October 17th at 12:00 pm Video footage will be … Continued
September 28, 2022
The Nord Stream gas leak add insult to injury for Baltic cod
The heavy release of natural gas from the sabotaged pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 into the Baltic Sea could be truly fatal in an already very vulnerable ecosystem. This is the opinion of researcher Thomas Dahlgren, who has studied the effects of various emissions on marine life. Yesterday, Tuesday 27 September, there were alarm … Continued
September 27, 2022
Member States share concern for eel population in dire straits
Speaking to the Fisheries Council yesterday, Commissioner Sinkevičius was clear that “status quo is not an option” for the management of European eel, considering the critical state of the eel population and the zero catch advice. While the Member States shared his concern for the stock, suggestions on the way forward varied, with Mediterranean countries … Continued