Overview
- EU fisheries ministers have opened negotiations on a Commission package that will form the basis for next year’s Baltic Sea catch limits.
- The Commission proposes steep cuts to allowed bycatch of western Baltic herring and cod and the removal of an exception that lets small boats using passive gear take limited catches.
- German Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer urged keeping the small-boat exception, saying its removal would threaten the survival of many coastal fishers who already face tight rules.
- At the same time, the Commission recommends higher quotas for healthier stocks such as sprat and more easterly herring to reflect differing stock conditions.
- Talks are expected to be lengthy because ministers must balance scientific advice, conservation needs and economic impacts while also negotiating EU farm funding rules, and final decisions remain pending.