EU Ministers Reach Agreement on Baltic Sea Fishing Quotas for 2025
An agreement reached by EU ministers on Tuesday, following extensive overnight discussions, has set cautious total allowable catches (TACs) for commercially significant fish stocks in the Baltic Sea for 2025. This decision comes amid growing concerns that Russian trawlers may take advantage of the situation by disregarding efforts to restore declining fish populations. This marks the first quota established after a significant ruling by the EU’s top court in January, which underscored the necessity of ensuring both the long-term sustainability of fish stocks such as herring, cod, plaice, sprat, and salmon, and the continued viability of the fishing industry.
The agreement aims to “strike a balance between helping fish stocks recover, protecting marine ecosystems, and ensuring the future viability of the sector,” stated Hungarian Agriculture Minister István Nagy, who introduced a compromise text that helped to break a deadlock when negotiations resumed this morning.
Concerns Over Russian Vessels in the Baltic
Several ministers expressed unease that limiting European fishers could create an opportunity for Russian vessels, which operate without the same rigorous environmental regulations. An EU official informed Euronews that during the negotiations, some member states voiced concerns that increased Russian fishing activity could negate the environmental benefits of reduced quotas for EU fishers. Furthermore, during preparatory discussions, some delegations highlighted the potential risk of Russian fish products flooding the EU market, undermining the efforts to protect local stocks.
A representative from the European Commission reminded attendees that there had yet to be a consensus among member states on addressing the issue of Russian overfishing earlier in the year. The Commission is prepared to take action on this matter if there is sufficient political will, with options ranging from sanctions (which require unanimous agreement) to the imposition of higher tariffs on Russian fishery products (which can be approved by a qualified majority).
New Quotas Tailored to Environmental Challenges
The newly established quotas were specifically designed to tackle the environmental challenges facing the Baltic Sea. For instance, cod may only be retained if caught unintentionally to facilitate the species’ recovery; spawning closures have been in effect since 2016 for western cod and since 2018 for eastern cod. Quotas for sprat have been reduced by 31%, and those for salmon in the main Baltic basin have been cut by 36%, while the Gulf of Finland’s quotas remain unchanged.
According to Justyna Zajchowska, a fisheries expert with WWF, the fishing limit set for sprat is still excessively high to allow for the recovery of the ecosystem balance, as this pelagic fish serves as crucial prey for many endangered predatory species, including the depleted cod stocks. Meanwhile, plaice catch limits will remain the same as in 2024, despite the stock being overall healthy, due to concerns regarding unintentional catches of endangered cod during plaice fishing.
On a more positive note, fishing opportunities for herring will see a significant increase—by 108% in the Central Baltic, 10% in the Gulf of Riga, and 21% in the Gulf of Bothnia—based on favorable scientific recommendations. However, this decision faced backlash from environmental groups. Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer, Senior Policy Advisor for FishSec, cautioned that the EU urgently needs to implement more precautionary fishing limits and additional measures to restore herring populations.
The Deteriorating Condition of the Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea has been characterized by the Commission as suffering from “ecosystem failure,” primarily due to inadequate enforcement of EU environmental regulations, including the Nitrate Directive and wastewater treatment rules. Agricultural runoff has led to excessive nitrate levels in the sea, resulting in widespread eutrophication, or oxygen depletion, which has a devastating impact on marine life. Species such as cod are particularly susceptible to low oxygen levels, making it challenging for them to survive in these conditions.
The Commission warned that even if fishing in the Baltic were to cease entirely, the damage would not be reversed unless the underlying issue of nitrate pollution is addressed. Remi Cossetti, fisheries policy officer at Seas At Risk, expressed concern that the fishing quotas set today overlook the fundamental needs of the Baltic Sea ecosystem. “This irresponsible decision will exacerbate ecosystem decline and threaten the livelihoods of fishers and coastal communities,” he stated.
