Baltic Sea fishermen breathe a sigh of relief: herring fishing allowed despite quota ban!

Baltic Sea fishermen breathe a sigh of relief: herring fishing allowed despite quota ban!

The fishing situation in the German Baltic Sea remains complicated, but there is hope for small-scale coastal fishermen. In 2026, despite strict fishing bans, they will still be allowed to catch small quantities of herring. NDR reports that this decision was made at the urging of Germany, as EU agriculture ministers agreed on some exceptions to help small-scale fishermen.

In principle, however, fishing opportunities for cod and herring in the western Baltic Sea remain severely limited. Coastal fishermen are only allowed to catch herring under certain conditions, namely with small boats and passive fishing gear. There is also good news for hobby anglers: they are still allowed to catch one salmon per day from the Baltic Sea. But not everything is rosy: herring is only allowed as bycatch in the western Baltic Sea and there is a fishing ban for cod in the entire Baltic Sea.

Catch limits and sustainability

The new fishing quotas are a step towards more sustainable fishing. The previous catch limits were raised or lowered in order to better regulate the fish population. The catch limit for sprat was increased by 45 percent, while the total allowable catch for herring in the Gulf of Riga was reduced by 17 percent. Catches of Bothnian herring have also been reduced by 40 percent as their numbers are at low levels. This is loud WWF Part of the effort to achieve the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY).

Most of these changes are based on scientific advice from ICES and the Commission's proposal. Nevertheless, there is criticism from nature conservation associations who view the catch quotas as inadequate. After all, the current reality is that almost 43% of the fish stocks in the North and Baltic Seas are overfished, according to the WWF.

Preparations for the future

A final decision on the new fishing quotas will be decided at an upcoming Council meeting. Developments in European fisheries policy show how challenging it is to find the balance between economic interests and the protection of maritime resources. Political promises to take scientific recommendations into account are often broken, leading to resistance from industry.

Overall, the hope remains that conscious action by those involved in fishing and adherence to sustainable practices will lead to the regeneration of our fish stocks in the long term. So it's up to us to make sure that we don't overdo our fishing in the future - after all, there's still a lot to catch!