Following the Commission proposal, but neglecting part of ICES recommendations, the EU Fishing ministers decided on a 15 per cent increase for the Eastern cod stock and a 15 per cent decrease for the Western stock, as they set next year’s catch quotas for the Baltic at their recent Council meeting.
The Council session also set 2009 quotas for Baltic herring, sprat, salmon and plaice, in some cases cutting down considerably on both ICES recommendations and the Commission proposals.
As for the Baltic cod, the increase for the much larger Eastern stock followed recommendations from scientists at the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), but as for the dwindling Western stock, west of the Bornholm island, the ICES experts had advised a 28 per cent decrease. However, the Council ministers are bound to follow the Baltic cod management plan, which only allows for a 15 per cent fluctuation in quotas from year to year
Lasse Gustavsson, secretary general of the World Wide Fund (WWF) in Sweden, called the decision “a breakthrough”. Interviewed on Swedish television, he stressed that “the decision on the Eastern stock represents the first time ever that the politicians have followed the scientific recommendations.” He said that two years of favourable reproduction provides a “historic opportunity” to restore the Baltic cod stock, but pointed out that it still remains on a “historically low level”.
The Eastern Baltic cod stock has increased since 2005 and is now higher than at any point during the last decade. A recent study from the Stockholm University’s Baltic Nest Institute indicated that neither reproduction alone – environmental factors – nor reduced catches, could explain the increase. Synergies between both factors were necessary for the current increase in the Baltic Sea cod stock, exceeding the sums of both factors.
Commenting on the drastic modification of the ICES-recommended catch reductions for herring in the Bothnian Sea and Bay, professor Magnus Appelberg of the Swedish Board of Fisheries’ Institute of Coastal Research, said he found it “unfortunate”.
“The data we have about the Bothnian Sea herring stems mainly from the industry; gathering independent information has just started. As for the Bothnian Bay, we know even less. To mention an example: we have found a recent shortage of big herring in the Bothnian Sea, and it worries me that we don’t know why. All the better reason we have to apply the precautionary principle.”
“And my view by en large is that as long as we ask ICES for scientific advice, I think we should follow it. Otherwise – why ask?”.
On the Baltic salmon stocks, ICES had recommended less landings than this year, and in the Gulf Finland no fishing at all of wild salmon. The Council now allowed the same TAC (Total Allowable Catch) as for 2008 in the Gulf of Finland, and decided on a 15 per cent reduction for the larger part of the Baltic. Since 2000 the actual (reported) landings of Baltic salmon have been lower than the agreed quota (however often higher than the scientific recommendations). In 2007, the total of reported landings was only 42 per cent of the TAC, and from 2007 to 2008, the TAC was lowered from 428,697 salmon to 364,392.
The Council meeting was held in Luxembourg on October 27.