News
September 8, 2009
Professor’s pessimism about new EU fisheries policy
Considering the many shortcomings of the present CFP, a Danish Professor and EU fisheries expert told a gathering of Nordic ministers that “it’s hard not to be pessimistic” about the next Common Fisheries Policy in 2012. Revision of the CFP was high on the agenda for the summer meeting of the Nordic ministers responsible for … Continued
September 8, 2009
Fishermen sinking on Swedish West Coast
The number of fishermen on the Swedish West Coast has been reduced by 25 percent in just the last ten years, a new report from the Swedish Board of Fisheries shows. At the same time, the medium age of the remaining few has risen from 47 to 49. Tore Gustavsson of the Board of Fisheries, … Continued
September 8, 2009
Polish campaigners took to the streets
In July, when fish consumption soars on the Polish coast, Klub Gaja organized a series of consumer targeted, awareness raising street performances titled “The history of the Golden Fish”. Also dubbed as ‘happenings’ by Klub Gaja, the theatrical street performances in three coastal towns – Miedzyzdroje, Kolobrzeg and Hel – targeted fish consumers and aimed … Continued
September 3, 2009
Next Year’s Baltic Cod TACs: Like ICES, like Commission
Walking fully in step with this spring’s scientific advice, the EU Commission proposes a 15 percent raise in the 2010 TACs for the Eastern Baltic cod and a 9 percent raise for the smaller Western stock. That recommendation was the first time in years that International Council for the Sea (ICES) experts had suggested increases … Continued
September 3, 2009
“B” for Germany, “D” for Russia in Baltic Sea Conservation Class
Germany emerged as best in class, while Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia were named and shamed as classroom dunces as the WWF published this year’s “Baltic Sea Scorecard”. Still graded “B” – no A’s were handed out – Germany was primarily lauded for being a leader – “by far” – in practical planning of both … Continued
August 30, 2009
US foresees climate change, bans Arctic fishing
In an unprecedented move, US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke has approved a plan to ban fishing in more than a half million square kilometres of American waters in the Arctic – not because of overfishing, bur anticipating changing climate. The plan, the first of its kind, has been worked out in previously scarcely seen … Continued
August 26, 2009
STECF advices reduced effort for Baltic cod
The EU Commission’s main scientific advisory body has generally agreed with earlier scientific advice on next year’s Baltic catch quotas, but adds that fishing effort should be reduced for the dominant eastern cod stock. In its review of advice published in May by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the Scientific, … Continued
August 26, 2009
CFP debate still same old song, study shows
The debate still centres around the same ”crisis in EU fisheries” as it did ten years ago, an important European research organisation says in a “health check” on the current Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which also includes prescriptions for a better and more sound future. “Of all the European policies that govern the exploitation of … Continued
August 20, 2009
HELCOM wins big prize
The Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) has been awarded the prestigious 2009 Swedish Baltic Sea Water Award. The award-giving body, The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), cited HELCOM for having taken “marine environmental protection to a new level”. HELCOM , the governing body of the 1974 and 1992 Helsinki Conventions, works to protect the marine environment of … Continued
August 19, 2009
West Coast fishermen rush to sink their boats
Forty-five vessels, equalling one third of the total Swedish capacity for fishing cod in the western waters, have applied for subsidies to scrap the boats. Three quarters of the money for the program, aimed at a 50-percent reduction in Sweden’s capacity to catch cod in the Kattegat, the Skagerrak and the North Sea by 2015, … Continued