Council agreement and other related statements and commentary.
Text and table of the Council agreement are available below and on the EU Council website here.
Council agreement on 2020 catch limits in the Baltic Sea
| COMMISSION proposal | COUNCIL agreement
|
|||||
| Name
Latin name
|
ICES FISHING ZONES
|
TACs 2019
|
2020 | 2020 | TACs 2019 | variation |
| in tonnes | in tonnes | variation | in tonnes | in % | ||
| Bothnian herring
Clupea harengus |
Baltic Sea subdivisions 30-31 | 88 703 (-7%) | 65 018 | -27% | 65 018 | -27% |
| Western herring
Clupea harengus |
Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-24 |
9 001 (-48%)
|
2 651
|
-71%
|
3 150 | -65% |
| Central herring
Clupea harengus |
Baltic Sea subdivisions 25-27, 28.2, 29, 32 | 170 360 (-26%) | 153 384 | -10% | 153 384 | -10% |
| Riga herring
Clupea harengus |
Baltic Sea subdivision 28-1 |
31 044 (+7%)
|
34 445
|
+11%
|
34 445 | +11% |
| Eastern cod
Gadus morhua |
Baltic Sea subdivisions 25-32 | 24 112 (-15%) | 2 000 (by-catch only) | -92% | 2 000 (by-catch only) | -92% |
| Western cod
Gadus morhua |
Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-24 | 9 515 (+70%) | 3 065 | -68% | 3 806 | -60% |
| Plaice
Pleuronectes platessa |
Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-32 | 10 122 (+43%) | 6 894 | -32% | 6 894 | -32% |
| Main basin salmon
Salmo salar |
Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-31 | 91 132 (0%) | 86 575 | -5% | 86 575 | -5% |
| Gulf of Finland salmon
Salmo salar |
Baltic Sea subdivision 32 | 9 703 (-3%) | 9 703 | 0% | 9 703 | 0% |
| Sprat
Sprattus sprattus |
Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-32 | 270 772 (+3%) | 203 027 | -25% | 210 147 | -22% |
In addition to setting TACs and national quotas on some species, the Council agreed on additional measures on cod stocks such as:
- stricter limits for recreational fisheries (bag limitations of five specimens per fisherman per day as a general rule)
- longer closure periods in subdivisions 25 and 26 (from 1 May to 31 August), in subdivisions 22-23 (from 1 February to 31 March), and in subdivision 24 (from 1 June to 31 July)
Other related information and links:
Speech by Commissioner Vella at the start of the AgriFish Council in Luxembourg on Baltic Sea Fishing Opportunities 2020 is worth reading. It has detail not included elsewhere.
Press Statement by Commissioner Vella at the end of the AgriFish Council in Luxembourg on the Baltic Sea Fishing Opportunities 2020 is also worth reading
Press release by Our Fish, WWF and SAR re Council decision on Baltic TACs – EU Fisheries Ministers Ignore EU Law and Nature’s Limits for Baltic Sea
Coalition Clean Baltic: Comment to ministers’ decision on TACs for the Baltic sea – Better than expected, but the major failure is the missing link between cod and main pray sprat
Chris Davies MEP – Chair of EU Parliament PECH Committee: @ChrisDaviesLD
Tweeted about the outcome:
“Fisheries Ministers have agreed 60% cuts in Baltic herring and cod catches- Serious stuff, but will it be enough to let stocks recover? Scientists recommended even bigger cuts. No future for the Baltic fishing industry if there are no fish. #StopOverfishing”
- Council agreement text and table
- Speech by Commissioner Vella at the start of the AgriFish Council
- Press Statement by Commissioner Vella at the end of the AgriFish Council
- Press release by NGOs: Our Fish, WWF and SAR re Council decision on Baltic TACs
- Coalition Clean Baltic: Comment to ministers’ decision on TACs for the Baltic sea