More garbage caught than cod: NGOs call for emergency measures to protect Eastern Baltic cod

CCB • February 21, 2019

NGOs in the Baltic Sea Region have sent an urgent  letter  to the European Commissioner in charge of Environment Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, urging him to implement emergency measures in accordance with article 12 (1) of the EU Common Fisheries Policy to protect what little remains of the eastern Baltic cod stock.

This stock has shown signs of crisis for many years. The latest information suggests the situation is now critical. On 29th January 2019, in a Baltic Sea Advisory Council meeting focusing the eastern Baltic cod stock, the latest data from the Baltic International Trawl surveys was presented. Survey trawls were reported to have caught more garbage than cod.

An International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) benchmark meeting was held for the stock from 4-8th February to determine if an analytical assessment of the stock could now be made (2) . The report from that process is due mid-March, however the full cycle of the normal Baltic fish stock science assessment process does not conclude until the end of May.

The NGOs said collectively. “We implore the Commission to act now before further unsustainable fishing takes place on what very little remains of the eastern Baltic cod.”

The NGOs have urged the Commission to immediately suspend fishing for eastern Baltic cod for the next 6 months while the latest scientific findings are examined and to take immediate action to move at least a portion of the sprat fishery away from Baltic sub-divisions 25 and 26 to maximize the availability of prey for the cod (3) .

For more information please contact:
Nils Höglund, Fisheries Policy Officer at Coalition Clean Baltic
nils.hoglund@ccb.se Tel: +46 70-867 92 49 (Languages: English and Swedish)

Andrzej Białaś, Policy Advisor at Oceana in Europe
abialas@oceana.org Tel: +48 501 58 88 33 (Languages: English and Polish)

Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer, Coordinator for Denmark at Our Fish
cathrine@our.fish Tel: +45 2197 7905 (Languages: English and Danish)

(1) Marie Storr-Paulsen, DTU Aqua: information from the latest survey:
http://www.bsac.dk/getattachment/Meetings/BSAC-meetings/BSAC-Executive-Committee-meeting-(4)/BSAC_new-surveyMSP-(1).pdf.aspx?lang=en-GB
(2) What is an ICES Benchmark meeting:
https://www.ices.dk/community/advisory-process/Pages/Benchmarks.aspx
(3) Article 12 of the EU Common Fisheries Policy allows the Commission to adopt immediately applicable implementing acts applicable for a maximum period of six months measures in case of a serious threat to marine biological resources. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32013R1380

NGOs to EU decision makers: Commit to a Genuine Baltic Sea Recovery Plan

By CCB • May 28, 2025
Key Baltic fish populations are in crisis, warn environmental NGOs. New scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, confirms the poor condition of key Baltic fish populations, several of which remain collapsed (1). EU fisheries ministers must set 2026-catch limits well below ICES advice and prioritise long-term recovery over short-term economic gains.

EU Commission upholds Fisheries Law: Finland's 2025 Atlantic Salmon quota reduced after unjustified overfishing in 2024

By CCB • May 7, 2025
7 May 2025 - Yesterday the European Commission took a strong decision to deduct Finland´s 2025 Atlantic Salmon quota due to unjustified overfishing last year. This action is a clear application of the EU fisheries rules - aiming to ensure sustainable fishing practices and compliance with established quotas - and an important precedent for the consistent enforcement of fisheries law. In 2024, Finland was allocated a strict by-catch quota for Atlantic salmon, with direct fishing prohibited, except for some specific, minor exceptions. Despite this, Finland reported catching 3,162 salmon in a targeted fishery, under a claimed derogation stating the fishery was for scientific research purposes. Upon review, the European Commission concluded that these activities did not meet the legal standards for such an exemption and therefore found this claim unjustified. The number of vessels participating, 32, the number of salmon caught as well as the fact that Finland refused to re-release the salmon after conducting the “scientific research” are all reasons why the fishery cannot be considered to have been carried out for scientific research purposes. As a result, the same number of salmon caught beyond the legal limit in 2024 is now being deducted from Finland’s 2025 quota, from the same stock. “ We welcome the Commission's decision to take enforcement action and apply the law as intended. It sends a clear message to Member States that exceeding quotas will have consequences. However, more consistent enforcement is urgently needed across EU waters, especially in the Baltic Sea, where many fish stocks are collapsing and the ecosystem is in a poor state ” said Aimi Hamberg, CCB Marine Policy Officer. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland has already responded to the Commission´s quota reduction for Atlantic salmon by stating that this decision “is not legally justified” and they will consider taking legal action against it. As this matter continues to evolve, it is highlighting the importance of collective responsibility in managing fish stocks sustainably. Species like salmon, herring and cod , are under increasing pressure due to overfishing, climate change and habitat loss. In this context, rule enforcement is not just a bureaucratic step but a necessary action to ensure the long-term sustainability of marine life in the Baltic Sea.