Scientific Advice states that Baltic Sea herring stocks are below safe levels. NGOs: "stop while there is still time"

CCB • June 1, 2023

Yesterday the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) published its scientific advice [1]. Adding to an already dire situation for cod, ICES now advises that drastic cuts in fishing for Baltic herring are also needed. NGOs and small scale fishermen alike react with calls for urgent actions taken by decision makers immediately.

1 June 2023 - The alarms went off along the Swedish eastern coast several years ago: there is no longer any larger herring to be caught, a herring used for traditional human consumption. In fact some coastal fishermen do not find any herring at all. At the same time, larger off shore vessels claim that fishing for herring is fine. It’s a patterns seen several times before and not only in the Baltic Sea. The fish starts to disappear along the coast and after a few years the catches in the open sea start to decrease also. In the case of the Baltic cod, that meant a total fish stock collapse and after several years, no improvement can be seen at all despite a fishing closure.


The scientific advice from ICES released on 31st May note that the herring stocks that aggregate in the southern main basin of the Baltic Sea as well as the more northern stocks in Bothnian Sea are at very low levels and even with no fishing at all, the stocks will likely not bounce back in 2025. ICES advises to cut the herring quotas with about 50% compared to 2023, they also advise on reduced sprat catches and continued zero catch for cod in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea.


“It is simply catastrophic and we feel that emergency measures should be taken already now in 2023. The Council will meet in October to set fishing quotas for next year but with the numbers at hand today, it is irresponsible not to act swiftly already now”, says Nils Höglund, Fisheries Policy Officer at Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB). He concludes: "The Commission has the option to initiate emergency measures and we think the time has come to seriously consider this option."


ICES data and modelling shows that even with no fishing at all, there is still likely a 10-20% chance that the stocks can't grow even above the lowest level set in the scientific advice, the so called biomass limit value. For the herring stocks below Åland Islands, there is a 88% chance that stocks will not reach safe levels with zero fishing. ICES notes that misreporting of catches undermines the quality of the data and that this only increases the level of uncertainty of the given advice. In this context, ICES says that they have not quantified what effects misreporting and data quality has.


"Considering the scientific data, the continous alarming reports from coastal fishermen and the strong negative trend in the herring stocks north and south, it is clear that the previous management has failed. We see the same pattern now for herring that we saw with cod before it collapsed, this is not ecosystem based management, this is fishing down the food web" says Sara Söderström, Policy Officer at Fish Sec.


“For decades, we have fished down wild fish stocks in the Baltic Sea. According to ICES' latest advice, historically large populations are at levels where there is a high probability that they will not recover. It is clear that the management model (MSY) is not working, that the monitoring and reporting of catches is not working, and that biological data is either wrong or insufficient. The responsibility now lies heavy on the Commission and the Council of Ministers - this might be the last chance to save the wild Baltic Sea fish”, says Konrad Stralka, CEO at BalticWaters.


For both cod stocks in the Baltic, the situation is critical and with no sign of improvement. ICES indicates that the western cod stock around the German, Danish and Swedish coasts needs a cut in catches and advices a maximum of only 24 tonnes in total, covering both commercial and recreational fishing. This is a steep decrease from last year's advice which was a maximum of 943 tonnes. Even though ICES does note that the plaice stocks seems to be the only fish stock growing, fishing for plaice is problematic since when caught with bottom trawling gear, as this also catches cod as bycatch. Better gears are available but those are not mandatory nor legal to use yet.


"Despite the closure of the cod fishery, cod is still being caught as by-catch by bottom trawlers fishing after flatfish like plaice. We must reduce cod by-catch by introducing bottom trawl free zones in key cod areas as well as electronic monitoring on trawl boats to stop illegal discarding of cod", says Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer, Chief Advisor at the Danish Society for Nature Conservation.


There is still one area and herring stock that differs from the rest and that is the Gulf of Riga. The herring that spawn in this area is doing better, yet ICES does advise to reduce the catches with 17% compared to its advice last year. Still, the recruitment and amount of herring is at safe levels here.


"The Gulf of Riga indicates that industrial fishing with huge vessels on a mix of fish stocks is the problem in the Baltic. A limited fishery for human consumption is possible even in the current conditions but industrial trawling in the Gulf of Bothnia needs to be stopped along with vessels that mix large volumes sprat and herring in their catches, if we are to reverse the decline in herring stocks", says Christian Tsangarides, Low Impact Fishers of Europe, LIFE.



NOTES

[1] ICES advice for fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea in 2024.


Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) - Is a politically independent, non-profit association, which unites 27 NGOs, with over 1 500 000 members in all countries around the Baltic Sea. The main goal of CCB is to promote the protection and improvement of the Baltic Sea environment and its natural resources for present and future generations. More info at: www.ccb.se


FishSec - Is a politically independent non-profit organisation. We are dedicated to the protection and restoration of marine ecosystem services, with a focus on fisheries. More at: www.fishsec.org


Danish Society for Nature Conservation - It is a membership based environmental organisation that works to conserve nature and the environment in Denmark through local work, conservation, lobbying and specific projects. More at: https://www.dn.dk/ 


BalticWaters - Is an independent foundation engaged in efforts to improve the Baltic Sea environment. The foundation conducts large-scale environmental projects with focus on action-oriented measures and applied research to show which measures can contribute to a healthier sea and viable fish stocks. More about BalticWaters at: https://balticwaters.org/ 


The Low Impact Fisheries of Europe (LIFE Platform) - Is an EU-wide platform of associations of small-scale fishers committed to fishing in a low impact manner while maximising their socio-economic impact. Small-scale fishing is part of the solution, and LIFE's mission is to unite small-scale fishers to achieve fair fisheries, healthy seas and vibrant communities. More about LIFE at: https://lifeplatform.eu


CONTACT

Nils Höglund
nils.hoglund@ccb.se


Sara Söderström
sara.soderstrom@fishsec.org


Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer
cathrine@dn.dk


Konrad Stralka
konrad.stralka@balticwaters.org 


Christian Tsangarides 
bans@lifeplatform.eu 

NGOs urge EU fisheries ministers to turn fragile progress into lasting recovery

By CCB • August 25, 2026
25 August 2026 - Following yesterday’s European Commission proposal for 2027 Baltic Sea fishing opportunities , environmental and angling organisations call on EU fisheries ministers not to treat the early signs of recovery for some Baltic Sea fish populations as a licence for steep quota increases. The latest scientific assessment on central Baltic herring shows some encouraging signs of improvement. This is welcome, but the changes are recent and do not mean that the population has fully recovered. An increase in biomass alone does not demonstrate that fish populations are healthy and resilient or justify higher catch limits. Fishing limits for small pelagic fish in the Baltic Sea have been set too high for years; last year’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council’s (AGRIFISH) decisions provide a recent example [1]. Herring proposals support recovery, but sprat’s wider ecosystem role must not be overlooked NGOs support the Commission’s proposed 2027 catch limit of 143,860 tonnes for central Baltic herring. Although 49% higher than last year, the proposal reflects the population’s recent growth, whilst also increasing the chances of the still fragile population to continue rebuilding. NGOs also cautiously welcome the proposed catch limit of 57,308 tonnes for Bothnian herring, a 3% increase, and the retention of the three- month spawning closure. Nevertheless, the population remains vulnerable and continues to be below healthy levels according to scientific advice [2]. An even more cautious fishing level would be needed in order to restore the population to the required healthy level. NGOs therefore strongly recommend a lower Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 45,544 tonnes. For sprat, the proposed catch limit of 291,590 tonnes and proposed removal of the spawning closure do not sufficiently account for the observed and documented misreporting issues, or for species’ vital role in the wider Baltic Sea ecosystem. “The Commission has taken a careful approach to herring, and the same is needed for sprat. Sprat may be small, but they play a vital role in the Baltic Sea as key prey for cod, salmon and seabirds. Fisheries ministers should set a lower catch limit that leaves enough sprat in the sea to help the fragile Baltic Sea ecosystem recover,” says Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer, Senior Fisheries Policy Advisor, Coalition Clean Baltic. Cod remains in crisis Scientists continue to advise zero catch for both eastern and western Baltic cod in 2027, a reminder of how depleted these populations remain. NGOs welcome the Commission's proposal to reduce cod bycatch quotas by 51% (to 211 tonnes) for eastern Baltic cod and by 88% (to 31 tonnes) for western Baltic cod, and to maintain the current conservation measures. However, to increase the chances for recovery for Baltic cod populations, EU decision makers must walk the talk. New legal obligations require the use of fishing gear in flatfish fisheries designed to avoid accidental catches of cod. With this gear now mandatory, cod bycatch quotas should be reduced and set as close as possible to the advised zero catch. For plaice, the Commission proposes to keep the same fishing opportunity as in 2026. However, cod is also caught as bycatch in the plaice fishery. NGOs therefore urge ministers to keep the plaice quota at a lower level, no higher than 1,593 tonnes for 2027, to help reduce accidental cod catches. "Fishing opportunities for 2027 should reflect the objectives of the Nature Restoration Regulation. As Member States prepare their national restoration plans, fishing limits must help rebuild fish populations and support the recovery of resilient marine ecosystems. Overfishing and neglecting an ecosystem-based approach would undermine restoration efforts," says Justyna Zajchowska, Fisheries Lead for WWF Baltic Sea Programme. E ncouraging salmon returns do not show recovery across all rivers Salmon returns to several large rivers in Sweden and Finland have been encouraging in 2026 [3]. However, several smaller northern Swedish populations remain at critically low levels, and the effects of the three previous poor years are expected to persist. The regional picture therefore remains uneven. NGOs welcome the Commission’s proposal not to increase fishing opportunities for Baltic salmon. However, for both the Main Basin salmon and the Gulf of Finland salmon, fishing should only take place on compensatory released salmon or salmon from rivers where stocks are at full reproductive capacity. “Good returns to the Torne and several other large rivers are welcome, but Baltic salmon cannot be judged by a few rivers alone. Many smaller populations remain at critical levels, and there is no room to increase fishing pressure on wild salmon,” says Thomas Johansson, Chairman, Östersjölaxälvar i Samverkan, and Secretary General, Baltic Salmon Fund. Fisheries ministers must turn promises into action for a real recovery of the Baltic Sea When agreeing the Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027 in October, EU fisheries ministers must apply a precautionary and ecosystem-based approach and: Follow the Commission’s proposal on fishing opportunities for: Central Baltic herring, Western Baltic herring, Eastern Baltic cod, Western Baltic cod; Set lower, more precautionary and ecosystem-based fishing opportunities for: sprat, Bothnian herring, Gulf of Riga herring, plaice, Main Basin salmon, Gulf of Finland salmon; Under no circumstances set fishing opportunities for Bothnian herring higher than the Commission’s proposal. A higher level of fishing would lead to a decrease in stock size; Honour the October AGRIFISH 2025 commitment by agreeing to a clear timetable for ambitious, time-bound rebuilding plans for every depleted Baltic Sea fish population, based on rebuilding trajectories that restore populations to healthy levels as quickly as possible; and Ensure that Baltic Sea fishing opportunities are aligned with EU nature restoration objectives, so that public and private work and investments in marine restoration are not undermined by continued overfishing, insufficient rebuilding measures and lack of implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management. In October 2025, the Commission and the eight Baltic EU Member States agreed [4] on the urgent need to rebuild Baltic Sea fish populations. The 2027 fishing-opportunities decision is the first real test of that commitment. Some improvements in Central Baltic herring and sprat show that recovery is possible ministers must now adopt fishing limits that secure that progress in the long term and give every depleted Baltic Sea fish population a credible chance to recover. - ENDS The full press release is available in PDF here . Extra info For the full joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027, please see: https://www.ccb.se/joint-ngo-recommendations-on-baltic-sea-fishing-opportunities-for-2027 Central Baltic herring remains below the level at which rebuilding measures should begin. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) expects the population to move only slightly above that level in 2027. Even then, fishing at the rate associated with maximum sustainable yield would leave a 36% probability of it falling below the threshold again in 2028 [5]. ICES also warns that the stock contains genetically distinct spawning groups and is therefore vulnerable to losses in genetic diversity and overall productivity [6]. The sprat population has grown and is now above key biomass reference points. However, fishing pressure is already at the level associated with maximum sustainable yield. ICES cautions that persistent misreporting of herring and sprat adds uncertainty to its assessment and advice [7]. Sprat is an important food source for cod, salmon and other marine wildlife [8], while ICES reports that industrial sprat fisheries can include substantial catches of herring [9]. Higher fishing pressure on sprat could therefore affect vulnerable herring populations as well as species that depend on sprat for food. Media contacts Beatrice Rindevall , Chairperson, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, ordforande@naturskyddsforeningen.se Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer , Senior Fisheries Policy Advisor, Coalition Clean Baltic, Cathrine@ccb.se Justyna Zajchowska , Fisheries Lead, WWF Baltic Sea Programme, jzajchowska@wwf.pl Joonas Plaan , Board member, Marine and Climate programme, Estonian Fund for Nature, joonas.plaan@elfond.ee Dr. Katja Hockun , Senior Expert Meeresschutz, Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V., hockun@duh.de Konrad Stralka , Executive Director, BalticWaters, konrad.stralka@balticwaters.org Magda Jentgena , Baltic Sea and Freshwater Programme Manager, Pasaules Dabas Fonds, mjentgena@pdf.lv Regan McEnroe , Chairperson, Nature and Youth Sweden, ordforande@faltbiologerna.se Tapani Veistola , Executive Director, Suomen luonnonsuojeluliitto (Finnish Association for Nature Conservation), tapani.veistola@sll.fi Thomas Johansson , Chairman, Östersjölaxälvar i Samverkan, and Secretary General, Baltic Salmon Fund, thomas@balticsalmonfund.com *** Notes [1] See joint NGO press release on the outcome: https://www.ccb.se/fisheries-ministers-risk-breaking-eu-law-jeopardising-baltic-sea-recovery [2] ICES (2026). Herring (Clupea harengus) in Subdivisions 30 and 31 (Gulf of Bothnia). ICES Advice: Recurrent Advice. Report. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.advice.30932087.v1 [3] Finnish monitoring of salmon returns: https://luonnonvaratieto.luke.fi/numerotieto/raportit?panel=nousulohiseuranta&inits=REGION_ID%3D3&lang=en&state=REGION%3D3%3BREPORT%3Dfi%3Asalmon_run_monitoring%2F89%3BYEAR%3D2026 [4] Council of the European Union (2025), Draft minutes of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council , 27–28 October 2025, document 14646/25, p. 13, joint statement on the urgent need for rebuilding fisheries in the Baltic Sea. [5] ICES, Herring in subdivisions 25–29 and 32, excluding the Gulf of Riga, pp. 1–2. The stock is currently below MSY Btrigger; projected biomass for 2027 is only 5% above it. Under the FMSY scenario, ICES estimates a 36% probability of biomass being below MSY Btrigger in 2028. https://ices-library.figshare.com/articles/report/Herring_i_Clupea_harengus_i_in_subdivisions_25-29_and_32_excluding_the_Gulf_of_Riga_central_Baltic_Sea_/30932081?file=65083161 [6] Ibid., p. 4. ICES identifies genetically distinct spawning components and warns of vulnerability to losses in genetic diversity and overall productivity. [7] ICES, Sprat in subdivisions 22–32: ICES advice . [8] Birgersson, L. and Pedersen Schirmer, C. (2025). Small fish with a big impact – a review of forage fish importance for a healthy Baltic Sea. FishSec (Fiskesekretariatet), Stockholm, Sweden. [9] ICES. 2026. Baltic Fisheries Assessment Working Group (WGBFAS). ICES Scientific Reports 8:39, section 7.2.5, p. 531. ICES reports that industrial sprat fisheries in several Baltic countries may include large bycatches of other species, predominantly herring. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.32455056

In memoriam of Petro Hrytsyshyn

By CCB • August 20, 2026
It is with great sadness that the Coalition Clean Baltic shares the news of the passing of Petro Hrytsyshyn, a long-standing colleague, environmentalist and true friend of the CCB family. The hospitality and warmth with which he embraced each and every one of us in Lviv will always be an example of genuine and close relation and lasting, professional friendship. For many years, Petro was Director of the Western Centre of the Ukrainian Branch of the International Centre for Scientific Culture – World Laboratory, one of CCB’s oldest member organisations in Ukraine. But it is the role he played in our family of environmental NGOs in the Baltic Sea Region that we will remember him for. Petro was one of the people who helped build, connect and sustain the international environmental community of which CCB is a part. For decades, he worked across borders and disciplines, bringing together scientific knowledge, environmental organisations, local communities and international partners around a shared belief that environmental challenges can be met through cooperation, practical solutions and persistence. Within CCB, Petro was a familiar and valued presence at conferences, seminars and joint activities over many years, representing Ukraine and the Western Centre while also contributing his own knowledge and experience to the wider Baltic Sea community. He hosted numerous CCB activities in Lviv and shared his expertise on the issues closest to him: water protection, sustainable sanitation, ecological safety and sustainable agriculture. He also represented the Western Centre in international environmental processes, contributing to discussions on environmental protection, water management and sustainable development. What made Petro's contribution especially important was that he understood environmental protection not only as a matter of policy or science, but as something that had to work in practice, on the ground. His work on ecological sanitation and wastewater management, for example, sought practical ways of reducing pollution and protecting water resources in rural areas of Ukraine. He continued this work into recent years. In 2023, Petro was among the experts contributing to CCB's analysis of the Greatest Water Management Challenges in the Baltic Sea Region, bringing the Ukrainian perspective into a broader regional assessment. More recently, he contributed to the Green Recovery Plan for the Ukrainian part of the Vistula River Basin, including the Western Bug and Syan sub-basins – work that reflected the qualities of his whole career: international cooperation, practical environmental knowledge and a commitment to the future of Ukraine's rivers and communities. For those of us who worked with him, however, his legacy is not only projects, publications and meetings. In a network such as CCB, people are the foundation of cooperation, and Petro was one of those people who kept the connections alive through changing political circumstances, new environmental challenges and difficult times that Ukraine faces as a result of Russia’s unprecedented war of aggression. He represented a generation of environmental professionals and civil society activists who understood that lasting environmental progress depends on solidarity, openness and the willingness to work together across borders. His long commitment to cooperation between Ukrainian and European environmental organisations was an important part of that legacy. CCB is grateful for the many years of cooperation with Petro, for his knowledge and commitment, for his hospitality and friendship, and for the bridges he helped build between people and organisations working for a healthier environment. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. Petro Hrytsyshyn 1951–2026 May the memory of Petro Mykhaylovych remain with all of us who continue the work to which he devoted so much of his life.