Fishing situation of the Baltic Sea

What are the fishing opportunities? Why is the Commission proposing fishing opportunities for the Baltic Sea?

Every year, the European Commission proposes fishing opportunities for all the EU sea basins, including the Baltic Sea. Also called total allowable catches (TACs), fishing opportunities are catch limits for most fish species, based on scientific advice.

Once agreed by the Council of the European Union, TACs are shared in national quotas that determine how many fish each EU country is allowed to catch in a given year. Quotas can be exchanged among EU countries.

What is the situation of the Baltic Sea and how is the Baltic Sea Multiannual Plan contributing to the management of Baltic Sea fisheries?

The Baltic Sea is fragile, especially due to its shallowness, limited connection with the ocean and slow water circulation. The Baltic Sea Multiannual Plan addresses stock management and fishing mortality from fisheries.

The current situation is extremely challenging for fishers as formerly important commercial stocks (western and eastern cod; western, Bothnian and central herring; sprat; and many salmon populations) are under additional pressures beyond fishing, notably from habitat loss due to a degradation of the environment both in inland waters as well as in the Baltic Sea itself. Member States will have to ensure they implement EU legislation, in particular  on environmental protection and climate change, along with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy, to improve the state of the Baltic Sea.

Maintaining fish populations above the minimum level—set by scientists as a sustainable threshold—ensures their survival, reproduction, and prevents overfishing.

Eastern Baltic cod

Why is the Commission decreasing the by-catch TAC for eastern Baltic cod for 2026?

Despite the measures of recent years, scientists estimate that the condition of the stock has not improved. They, therefore, advise a continued stop for all catches of eastern Baltic cod for 2026. Hence, the Commission proposes to extend the current measures for 2026.

Regarding the TAC for unavoidable by-catches, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has not been able to provide such information. The Commission proposes to adjust the level to the by-catches reported in 2024.

Why is the spawning closure for eastern Baltic cod maintained?

Science clearly shows that such closures can have benefits that cannot be achieved by a TAC alone. A closure may allow cod to spawn without being disturbed and that this can lead to producing more young cod. Eastern Baltic cod is in a very poor condition, below the minimum level. The Baltic Sea Multiannual Plan enables taking exceptional measures to remedy critical situations as quickly as possible.

It is necessary to maintain the closure during the entire peak spawning period in all potential spawning areas and in the main area from where cod migrate to the spawning grounds. Any disturbing fishing activity is therefore not allowed.

Why is the prohibition of recreational fishing for eastern Baltic cod maintained?

Since eastern Baltic cod is in extremely poor condition, scientists advised to stop all catches, including recreational ones. This is coherent with the Baltic Sea Multiannual Plan, which provides that when the size of a stock is below safe biological limits, further measures have to be taken to remedy the situation as quickly as possible. We therefore propose to continue this prohibition, already applicable since 2020.

Are the measures put in place since 2019 giving the expected outcome, and what is the Commissions strategy going forward?

While it seems that, so far, the stock has not yet fully responded to the various measures, two relevant aspects need to be taken into account in the current context:

• Conservation measures need time to show effects, especially when a stock is in such a bad condition.
• There are broader ecosystem-related factors such as oxygen depletion, rising water temperatures, pollution and diseases that affect the already weak and depleted cod stock, limiting its recovery capabilities.

In September 2020, the Commission held a high-level conference where the Ministers responsible for Environment, Fisheries and Agriculture from the Member States across the Baltic Sea region signed a joint declaration to take a series of measures to address the ecosystem issues of the Baltic Sea. A follow-up conference was held in September 2023 to take stock of the advances made and to tackle additional issues. The Commission also asked Member States to work on other measures such as developing gears for the flatfish fisheries, which could substantially reduce cod by-catches. This legislation entered into force in April 2025. A third high-level conference will be held in Stockholm on 30 September 2025 to monitor progress and remaining challenges. 

Western Baltic cod

Why is the Commission decreasing the by-catch TAC for western Baltic cod for 2026?

In previous years, ICES advised to catch almost no western Baltic cod. For 2026 ICES advises to catch none at all. The Commission therefore proposes to maintain for 2026 the existing prohibition of commercial and recreational fisheries for western Baltic cod.

Regarding the TAC for unavoidable by-catches, ICES has not been able to provide such information. The Commission proposes to adjust the level to the by-catches reported in 2024.

Western herring

Why is the Commission again proposing to close the remaining targeted western herring fishery for small-scale coastal fisheries?

As in the previous seven years, ICES advises to stop all fishing so that the very depleted western herring stock can recover. For such situations, the Baltic Sea Multiannual Plan indicates that measures need to be taken to ensure the rapid return of the stock to sustainable levels. In addition, the TAC level needs to ensure with a very high probability that the stock biomass will not fall below the minimum levels.

Like last year, the Commission therefore proposes to close all the targeted fisheries, including small-scale coastal fisheries. Regarding the TAC level for unavoidable by-catches, ICES has not been able to provide such information. The Commission therefore again proposes to halve the TAC compared to 2025 level.

How does the Commission intend to help western Baltic herring recover?

ICES has been advising a stop of the western herring fishery for seven years. The EU, therefore, has drastically reduced the quotas in the Baltic Sea over the past few years. However, western herring is not only present in the Baltic Sea – it also migrates into the Skagerrak and the eastern North Sea. Most catches are currently taken in these areas.

For 2026, ICES estimates that 76% will be caught in the North Sea, and the remaining 24% in the Skagerrak and the Baltic Sea. This means that catches in the North Sea and in the Skagerrak also have to decrease significantly for the stock to recover. However, fisheries in these areas are managed jointly with Norway and the UK. Therefore, the Commission will discuss with both Norway and the UK the need to keep the fishing pressure in those areas low and thus avoiding a negative impact on western Baltic herring.

Other stocks

Why is the Commission proposing a big TAC decrease for Bothnian herring?

Bothnian herring stocks biomass has been continuously decreasing since 1994 and is now at one of the lowest levels ever. According to ICES, even if there was no fishing at all, the probability for biomass to recover to sustainable levels in 2027 is only 30%. The set of reasons for the stocks negative performance are not fully understood, especially because fishing pressure has most of the time been far below the maximum.

The Commission therefore decided a cautious approach would be most appropriate. ICES advises to decrease the TAC by at least -6% but according to the Baltic Sea Multiannual Plan, the TAC level needs also to ensure with a very high probability that the stock biomass will not fall below the minimum level. This is only possible with a considerably higher TAC decrease, which is what has been proposed by the Commission.

Why is the Commission proposing to keep the central Baltic herring fisheries stable although the ICES advice would allow for a significant increase?

Central herring stocks biomass has been fluctuating around the minimum level since the 1990s. It has increased above this level in recent years but it remains far below sustainable levels. ICES estimates that reproduction is being very strong in 2024 and 2025. Therefore, the resulting catch advice from ICES allows up to +66% compared to the 2025 TAC. However, even with the most optimistic reproduction scenario and assuming that there was no fishing at all, the probability for the biomass to recover to sustainable levels in 2027 would only be of 52%.

Additionally, according to the Baltic Sea Multiannual Plan, TAC level needs to ensure with a very high probability that the stock biomass will not fall below the minimum level. This allows for a TAC increase of up to +7%. However, the stock is fragile and still far below sustainable levels and ICES states that its forecast is more uncertain than usual, the Commission proposes to be prudent and not to increase the TAC in 2026. 

Why is the Commission proposing to establish spawning closures for Bothnian and central herring?

Both herring stocks have been fragile and during the AGRIFISH Council in October 2022 several Member States and the Commission agreed to request additional advice from ICES on these two herring stocks.

The Commission submitted a comprehensive draft request to ICES in January 2023. ICES was not able to provide advice but published a roadmap in March 2024. Following the establishment by the Council of a spawning closure for central herring for 2024, together with the Baltic Sea Member States, the Commission drafted a comprehensive request to ICES about this spawning closures. ICES could not provide advice but issued a technical service in February 2025 about the spawning grounds and season of Baltic herring. ICES states that for Baltic spring-spawning herring, spawning takes place in shallow littoral zones during three months between February and July with a clear southwest–northeastern gradient.

The information about Baltic autumn-spawning herring is highly uncertain. Based on that information on Baltic spring-spawning herring, the Commission proposes to establish a spawning closure for central herring and for Bothnian herring as a remedial measure given that both stocks have a biomass below sustainable levels. The multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea requests managers to take all appropriate measures to ensure the rapid return of the stock above sustainable levels in such critical circumstances.

Why does the Commission not propose a big TAC increase for sprat?

The Sprat stock has decreased substantially due to confirmed record low recruitment from 2021 to 2023. The biomass has not been so low since 1990 and has come close to the threshold below which it is considered unhealthy. ICES estimates that reproduction in 2024 is record high and based on that the catch advice would allow for up to +45% compared to the 2024 TAC.

However, ICES states that its forecast is based on a single survey and more uncertain than usual. Given the preoccupying development of the stock in recent years and the bad state of the ecosystem, the Commission proposes a prudent approach and not to increase the TAC in 2026. The Commission also proposes to maintain the three-month spawning closure established by the Council for 2025.

Why does the Commission propose to decrease the commercial catches for main basin salmon?

According to ICES, the reproduction success of wild salmon populations decreased to historically low levels in 2021. Since then, it increased but the estimates are more uncertain than in the past. ICES therefore advises to be prudent and to again decrease catches. The Commission proposes to follow this advice.

According to experts, the number of salmon returning to their river to reproduce has substantially decreased since 2021, and in 2023 the most productive salmon river reached a historic low. The situation might have improved a bit since then but there is a very high level of uncertainty.

Various salmon populations in the main basin have been in different condition for a long time. Some populations have been healthy, but others have been weak. In 2020, ICES advised that maintaining the existing mixed-stock fishery in the entire main basin would impair the ability to achieve healthy levels for all salmon populations. In 2021, ICES advised closing all commercial and recreational salmon fisheries in the main basin. However, it considered that it would still be possible to maintain a targeted salmon fishery during the summer in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Bothnian and the Åland Sea. The Council decided to follow this approach.

Why does the Commission propose to ban recreational fisheries on reared salmon?

Since 2021, ICES advised to stop all fishing for salmon in the main basin, including recreational fishing. The Council decided to keep a daily bag limit to allow for continued recreational fishing on reared salmon. However, in recreational fishing, wild salmon are also caught, and while they have to be immediately released, a non-negligible amount dies thereafter. Given that the number of reproducing salmon is low, the Commission proposes to also prohibit recreational fishing for reared salmon. Coastal recreational fishing on wild salmon can however continue during summer, when and where commercial fishing is also allowed.

Why does the Commission propose to open the salmon fishing season only in June in the Åland Sea and around the mouth of river Råneälven?

ICES suggests this as an additional measure to try to counter the marked decline since 2022 of the Råneälven salmon stock. It seems that this stock migrates early and is to a relatively large extent caught during May in the Åland Sea. Postponing the start of the fishing season in that area and around the river mouth should substantially decrease the number of catches from that salmon stock.