Key takeaways from last week’s Brussels event
Small pelagic fish play a big role in keeping Europe’s seas healthy. Yet, despite their crucial ecological and economic importance, forage fish such as sprat, herring and sandeel have long remained in the shadows of policy and public attention. Last week on October 16, experts, policymakers, politicians, fisheries industry and NGOs representatives gathered at the European Parliament for the event “Small Fish, Big Impact: Time for Ecosystem-Based Management”. The event was hosted by MEP Isabella Lövin (Verts/ALE) and supported by FishSec, Blue Marine Foundation and the Irish Wildlife Trust as part of Brussels Ocean Week, to discuss why these species must be better protected and sustainably managed.
Watch a recording of the presentations here
Links to presentation slides:
- Lina Birgersson & Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer, FishSec
- Dr Juliette Scott, Blue Marine Foundation
- Grace Carr, Irish Wildlife Trust
Download the full FishSec report Small fish with a big impact
Executive summary for the report: English, German, Polish, Danish, Latvian, Swedish
The event highlighted the pivotal role that forage fish play in the wider marine food web, serving as prey for larger fish such as cod, as well as seabirds and marine mammals, while also acting as a key link in transferring energy from plankton to higher trophic levels. The health of these populations is essential not only for their own survival, but also for the broader resilience of marine ecosystems and the fishing communities that depend on them.
The event opened with a keynote speech by MEP Isabella Lövin, giving an overview of the dire situation in the Baltic Sea, the collapsed cod and western herring stocks and stressing the importance of precautionary and sustainable management of forage fish stocks, especially considering their role in the ecosystem. Thereafter, FishSec presented and officially launched the new report, “Small fish with a big impact”, in a presentation by the report authors which makes it clear that these fish are fundamental for both ecosystem health and fisheries sustainability in the Baltic Sea.
Lina Birgersson gave a summary of the status of Baltic Sea forage fish stocks and what the current scientific research tells us about these fish based on the scientific literature review in the report. Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer presented key policy recommendations included in the report, calling for multi-species ecosystem advice, asking the right questions from ICES, and precautionary fishing limits which are in line with the existing legal provisions.
Next, Dr Juliette Scott from the Blue Marine Foundation presented the EU–UK sandeel challenge, focusing on lessons learned for fisheries management based on this case. Dr Scott discussed the notion of ‘best scientific advice’ and precautionary management. Lastly, it was stressed that all aspects of the ecosystem need to be fully integrated for management. More stable fish populations can both benefit the fishing industry and ensure a sustainable future.
Finally, Grace Carr from the Irish Wildlife Trust highlighted the ongoing efforts to protect sprat in Irish waters. In contrast to the Baltic Sea sprat, the Irish sprat fishing is currently unregulated, with no management plan and no stock assessment in place. A fair quota sharing among vessels, management plans for inshore species and a full scientific analysis on the status of sprat were highlighted as key solutions to improve the situation.
The conclusion from presentations and discussions during the event is clear: adopting ecosystem-based management and precautionary management for Europe’s small pelagic fish is urgent and essential for the future health of the ocean.
FishSec’s project “Small Fish – Big Impact” is funded by the Swedish Postcode Lottery Foundation, with Co-funding by Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management