News
November 12, 2008
New study estimates gigantic costs of illegal fishing
The cost of illegal fishing to EU Member States by 2020 will be 10 billion Euros of lost catches, 8 billion Euros of lost stock value and 27,000 jobs in the fishing and processing industries, a new report says. The study, commissioned by the Pew Environment Group, added that the true costs are probably much … Continued
November 12, 2008
Swedish authority proposes halved eel catches over five years
In view of a remaining acute threat to the species, the Swedish Board of Fisheries proposes a 50 per cent reduction in eel catches by 2013. The EU Fisheries Ministers last year called for the Member States to submit national management plans for the dwindling stocks to the Commission by the end of 2008. In … Continued
November 11, 2008
Except for Sole and Hake hike, all decreases in EU proposal for 2009 quotas
Most stocks continue to be overfished, and quotas need to be reduced, the EU Commission said as the proposal for next year’s quotas for the North-East Atlantic was presented on November 10. The only increased quotas in the proposal were two stocks of sole (7 and 5 per cent) and one stock of hake (a … Continued
November 8, 2008
Better control called for in EU infringement report
There has been no real decrease in the number of serious infringements to the rules of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the Commission said in its seventh annual report on the subject, published on November 4. Infringement report The report dealt with infringements detected in 2006 and showed a slight (1 per cent) decrease … Continued
November 6, 2008
Fines for Swedish Cod Poachers
In one of Sweden’s largest fish poaching trials ever, nine fishermen have been fined between 340-7,000 euros for passing off cod as pollack to circumvent EU quotas. Seven others were acquitted, the court finding the ships’ commanders bearing the full responsibility for some 140 illegal landings of 109 tonnes of cod in 2005. The value … Continued
October 28, 2008
Next Year’s Quotas
These are the new 2009 catch quotas for some species in the Baltic, as set by the EU Fisheries Ministers on October 27. 2009 Catch Quotas for the Baltic Sea: Species ICES Recommendation Commission Proposal Council Decision Eastern Cod + 15 + 15 + 15 Western Cod – 28 – 15 – 15 Western Herring … Continued
October 28, 2008
Decreases dominate Baltic quotas for 2009
Following the Commission proposal, but neglecting part of ICES recommendations, the EU Fishing ministers decided on a 15 per cent increase for the Eastern cod stock and a 15 per cent decrease for the Western stock, as they set next year’s catch quotas for the Baltic at their recent Council meeting. The Council session also … Continued
October 24, 2008
Baltic NGOs discuss upcoming salmon management plan
On 15-16 October Coalition Clean Baltic arranged a seminar in Riga/Salacgriva, Latvia, to discuss the upcoming European Commission salmon management plan. The seminar also discussed national salmon management efforts and actions needed in those two areas. The seminar gathered environmental NGOs, anglers and scientists from most countries belonging to the Baltic Sea drainage basin, including Russia and Belarus. … Continued
October 22, 2008
Catch reductions and environment in synergy behind Baltic cod growth
Politics – reduced quotas – and environment – survival rate – have been equally important in rebuilding the Baltic cod stocks, a new report shows. The eastern Baltic cod stock has increased since 2005 and is now higher than ever during the last decade, according to scientists at the International Council for the Exploration of … Continued
October 21, 2008
Optimism for future of Baltic salmon
Successful implementation of an action plan to save Baltic salmon has lead to a suggested fivefold increase in juvenile salmon over the past decade, a scientific report says. The evaluation by The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) of the 1997 Baltic Salmon Action Plan predicts the number of smolt (juvenile salmon) … Continued