The health of the Baltic Sea’s fish populations is not only a precondition for commercial- and recreational fisheries, but also of fundamental importance for the whole ecosystem and environment of the inland sea. The development of Baltic herring populations bears an alarming resemblance to the one of the Eastern cod. Ever since the collapse of the Eastern cod in 2019, the fishing quota for the stock has been set to zero. If we fail to act, this negative trend will continue and the long-term survival of numerous species will be jeopardized.
Herring stocks in the central Baltic Sea have declined by over 70 percent since the mid-1960s, and according to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the stock is not being fished at sustainable levels. Meanwhile, large-scale commercial fishing prevails.
In order not to risk the viability of the Baltic Sea’s commercial fish stocks, a new management model needs to be developed, one that puts ecosystems and biodiversity first. Our vision is a Baltic Sea with healthy and viable fish populations, where fishing is conducted using only low impact methods and the catch is used for human consumption.
BalticWaters works towards the vision by disseminating knowledge about the Baltic Sea ecosystem and commercial fish species to politicians, decision-makers and the public. We fill knowledge gaps, with the goal of decisions being made and measures being implemented.
In the coming years we will focus our efforts on:
- Establish consensus between Finland and Sweden on the situation of fish stocks in the Baltic Sea
- Work towards effective fisheries control
- Risk is assessed in the scientific advice on fishing quotas provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
- Fish caught should primarily be for human consumption, rather than feed
- Fundamentally changing MSY*
* MSY is a theoretical concept and target in the fisheries policy that governs how catches can be maximized in the long term without jeopardizing the regrowth of stocks.
In the Baltic Sea Brief, we write about current environmental policy issues related to the Baltic Sea analysing the effects of political decisions and new research. Most of our briefs is in Swedish, but if you find a brief you are intrested in you are welcome to contact us and let us know! Translated briefs are found under Publications.
