Today, the annual scientific advice for 2026 fishing limits in the Baltic Sea was released by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). Below, we give a brief, stock-by-stock summary of the advice.
Cod (Gadus morhua) in subdivisions 22–24, western Baltic stock (western Baltic Sea)
ICES advises that there should be zero catch for western Baltic cod in both 2026 and 2027, which is a further decrease from the small bycatch quota (24 tonnes) advised last year due to the lack of improvement for this stock. The stock remains in a very dire condition.
Cod (Gadus morhua) in subdivisions 24–32, eastern Baltic stock (eastern Baltic Sea)
The advice for the eastern Baltic cod remains at zero catch. Advice for this stock is now given biannually, and the condition has remained poor.
Herring (Clupea harengus) in subdivisions 30 and 31 (Gulf of Bothnia)
With regard to Gulf of Bothnia herring, a maximum of 62 684 tonnes is advised for 2026, a decrease from the maximum of 74 515 tonnes for 2025. ICES notes that assessment quality for this herring stock could be affected by “a high level of uncertainty in recent years’ young age-class estimates, and the uncertainty is in turn propagated into the assessment and forecast”. Prey availability is also suggested to affect the variability seen in the estimated weight at age values for this stock.
Herring (Clupea harengus) in subdivisions 25–29 and 32, excluding the Gulf of Riga (central Baltic Sea)
Central Baltic herring is the largest of the Baltic herring stocks and is composed of a number of local populations. ICES advises a maximum quota of 154 542 tonnes for 2026 (taking account of the mixing between the Central Baltic herring and Gulf of Riga herring) for this stock, compared to a maximum of 125 344 tonnes for 2025. This increase is explained by a large year class from 2022 contributing to the estimations for the spawning stock biomass (the number of mature fish) together with the increasing trend of weight‑at‑age over the last years. However, the stock still has a relative spawning-stock size below MSY Btrigger (considered a sustainable level of stock spawning biomass) and below the precautionary reference point Bpa.
Herring (Clupea harengus) in Subdivision 28.1 (Gulf of Riga)
The Gulf of Riga herring population is estimated to have a large SSB and to be the most stable out of the four Baltic Sea herring stocks. There is some decrease in spawning stock biomass according to the latest assessment and ICES advises a maximum quota of 34,367 tonnes, a decrease from the advice of 45 235 tonnes last year. However, this stock size remains above reference points MSY Btrigger, Bpa, and Blim.
Herring (Clupea harengus) in subdivisions 20–24, spring spawners (Skagerrak, Kattegat and western Baltic)
The western Baltic spring spawning herring population remains in very poor condition with no clear signs of recovery. The stock’s SSB is below Blim, and both recruitment and catches (which are exclusively bycatch as no directed fisheries are permitted) are very low. ICES advises zero catch for 2026 – the same advice given for the past eight years.
Sprat (Sprattus sprattus) in subdivisions 22–32 (Baltic Sea)
The Baltic Sprat stock has been a relatively stable stock in terms of SSB over the last decades. ICES advised a maximum quota of 230 518 tonnes for 2026, compared to 164 947 tonnes for 2025. Following three consecutive years of very low recruitment (2021 to 2023), the 2024 year class is estimated to be strong, contributing to improved recruitment estimates, and, consequently a higher SSB and catch advice. However, some uncertainty remains as ICES notes that
“the 2024 year class (recruitment at age 1 in 2025) is estimated to be strong. However, in the autumn acoustic survey this year class was distributed mainly in north-eastern areas and this increases the uncertainty of its future contribution to the sprat biomass. The estimate of this year class is based on only this survey and its strength is uncertain until confirmed by the next survey (conducted in May 2025)”.
Despite previous declines in recruitment and SSB, the sprat stock size has stayed above the reference points (Blim, Bpa and MSYBtrigger) throughout the last three decades.
Baltic plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) in subdivisions 21–32
The Baltic plaice, previously assessed as two stocks (Ple.27.3a.21-23 and Ple.27.24-32) is now assessed as a single stock for the entire Baltic Sea area (SDs 22-32) following the benchmarking in 2024. ICES advice is that catches next year for the new, merged stock should be no more than 16 533 tonnes in 2026. This is a decrease compared to the separate advice from last year, of a maximum of 5 303 tonnes for subdivisions 24–32 and 20 062 tonnes for SD 21–23.
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in subdivisions 22–31 (Baltic Sea, excluding the Gulf of Finland)
ICES advises a maximum quota of 30 000 salmon taken in the 29N-31 area in 2026, down from 40 000 salmon for 2025.
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Subdivision 32 (Gulf of Finland)
ICES advises that commercial sea catches of salmon in the Gulf of Finland in 2026 should be no more than 11 800 salmon, an increase from the 8 118 specimens advised last year. This corresponds to reported commercial landings of 10 480 salmon when “applying the same catch proportions as those estimated to have occurred in 2024”.
Table with ICES advice:
| Stock | Fishing zones (SDs) | TAC set for 2024 | ICES stock catch advice for 2025 (tonnes) | TAC set for 2025 | ICES stock catch advice for 2026 (tonnes) |
| Western Baltic cod | 22-24 | 340 t (by-catch only) | 24 t | 266 t (by-catch only) | 0 t |
| Eastern Baltic cod | 25-32 | 595 t (by-catch only) | 0 t | 430 t (by-catch only) | 0 t |
| Western Baltic herring | 20-24 | 788 t (by-catch only) | 0 t | 788 t (by-catch only) | 0 t |
| Bothnian herring | 30-31 | 55 000 t | 74 515 t | 66 466 t | Up to 62 684 t |
| Central Baltic herring | 25-27, 28.2, 29 and 32 | 40368 t | 125 344 t | 83 881 t | Up to 154 542 t* |
| Gulf of Riga herring | 28.1 | 37 959 t | 39 233 t | 41 635 t | Up to 34 367 t* |
| Sprat | 22-32 | 201 000 t | 169 131 t | 139 500 t | Up to 230 518 t |
| Plaice | 22-32* | 11 313 t | 20 062 t and 5 303 t ** | 11 313 t | 16 533 t ** |
| Main Basin salmon | 22-31 | 53 967 specimens | ≤ 40 000 specimens, taken in the Bothnian Bay | 34 787 specimens (by-catch only) | ≤ 30 000 specimens, taken in 29N-31 |
| Gulf of Finland salmon | 32 | 10 144 specimens | 8 118 specimens | 10 144 specimens | 11 800 specimens |
| * Taking into account of the mixing between the Central Baltic herring and Gulf of Riga herring
**The stocks ple-27.21-23 + ple.27.24-32 were merged to one stock in 2024 at WKBPLAICE, “This new stock has no history of assessments to which it may be directly compared” |
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Links:
Read our joint NGO TAC paper on the 2026 fishing opportunities here
Read our joint NGO PR on the advice here
Advice links: