On 10-11 May, a range of Polish stakeholders interested in Baltic Sea fisheries management came together in Gdynia to discuss sustainability.
A number of different issues were discussed, among them control and monitoring, subsidies to the sector, the status of the Baltic harbour porpoise, implementation of the Habitats and Birds directives in Poland, and the establishment of a Baltic Regional Advisory Council (Baltic RAC). The participants also discussed the management of Baltic salmon, and the fact that wild salmon populations in many Baltic rivers are still endangered.
There was widespread agreement on the need for better control to combat illegal fishing, and that more resources are needed to fulfil control obligations. Fishermen and NGO representatives also agreed that it would be preferable to have a healthy fishery for cod and salmon in the Baltic Sea rather than a high production of sprat.
So far, mixed meetings such as this have been unusual in Poland. It must therefore be seen as a success that the meeting was attended by representatives of fishermen, the Polish Government, the Sea Fisheries Institute, the Fisheries Inspectorate (control agency) and scientists, as well as several environmental NGOs. The seminar was organised by the Polish Ecological Club together with Coalition Clean Baltic.