Baltic Sea: European Council agrees on catch limits for 2025

The EU countries have, after several days of negotiations, reached an agreement on the fishing quotas for the Baltic Sea for the coming year. The quotas remain at a low level, reflecting the challenging conditions facing the Baltic Sea.

At European Fishmeal and Fish Oil Producers (EFFOP), we are pleased that the sprat quota was set closer to the biological recommendation than initially proposed. EFFOP agrees with the need for a precautionary approach to fisheries in the Baltic Sea, but regrets that the Commission is not following the scientific advice from ICES, despite the fact that scientists are already taking a cautious approach based on stock assessments and the uncertainties surrounding the models used.

EFFOP emphasizes that the setting of Total Allowable Catches (TAC) and quotas should always be based on scientific advice from ICES (the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea).

EU quotas for 2025 are as follows:

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