Brussels, 19 February 2009
Public hearing on fisheries in the Baltic Sea
European parliament, 18 February 2009
Summary of the expert presentations1
1. DENMARK

Fish and fisheries are strongly affected by climate variation. Expected
climate changes in the Baltic region will likely affect both the temperature
and salinity of the Baltic Sea. The recent rise in temperature is expected to
continue and salinity will decrease. This is likely to result in: marine
species, including cod, will become less abundant and shift their
distributions towards saltier water; freshwater species (e. g., whitefish,
pikeperch, and perch) could become more abundant and shift distributions
farther south and offshore; the fish community may be less diverse.

Discards in Baltic fisheries is mainly observed in the trawl fisheries
targeting cod. On average about 10 % of the cod caught is discarded. The
majority of the cod discarded are fish below the minimum landing size of
38 cm. Compared to other regions cod discards in the Baltic Sea is relative
low. However, improved selectivity for example by increasing the
minimum mesh size in the two trawl gears allowed in the Baltic Sea
(Bacoma and T90 trawl), will result in a more optimal exploitation of the
resources. Enhancement of selectivity will most likely not be sufficient to
ensure sustainable exploitation and control of overall level of fishing is
required.
2. ESTONIA

Strengthening the control on fishing is the basis of the future of fisheries.
Without it other means of fisheries policy won´t work. It is important to
find
a
balance
of
fishing
fleet
and
fish
supplies.
To
increase
competitiveness we have to look towards new technologies, including
fishing
fleet
building
technologies,
which
would
be
fuel
efficient,
environment friendly, effective and safer.

Fisheries needs assurance, which would allow long term (economic)
planning. This would increase investments in the sector and increase the
competitiveness. The prerequisite is the effective surveillance on the
usage of fish supplies and high quality of monitoring of fish resources.
Drawn up by Mr. Bogdan Golik, Member of the European Parliament, the layout thereof adapted by
the Czech Presidency´ press office.
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1

It is important to find balance between all users of fish supplies e.g not
only regulating the human behaviour, but also the number of cormorants
and seals to a sustainable level. Reducing the number of cormorants2
under the management plan has to be one of the priorities in the Baltic
Sea.
3. POLAND

Matching the magnitude of fodder fishing to the actual reserves of pelagic
fish and limiting the size of ships and the power of their machines capable
of fishing in the Baltic Sea. We define the maximum size to be 30 metres
of hull length and the power to be 620 KW.

The acknowledgment of the ban for drifting nets on the Baltic Sea as
unfounded in the light of the tasks carried out by now (Report of the Sea
Fisheries Institute from the programme of monitoring the random catch of
cetaceans) and an immediate abolition or suspension of the mentioned
ban together with enabling the conducting of further scientific research on
the influence of its utilization on the protection of the porpoise.

Determining the actual size of the sprat, herring and cod herd. The
research should be conducted also in cooperation with fishery unions from
the Baltic countries. Conducting of systematic and reliable research about
the fish tracks in the Baltic Sea and an adjustment to possible decisions
considering the fishing and security regulations implemented by the EU in
the Baltic Sea.
2
Due to high abundance of several fish-eating or fish-affecting mammals (seals in the sea, beavers,
and otters in inland waters) and birds (especially cormorants) in Estonia, they can cause serious
problems for fishermen and fish farmers. In Estonia, the first colony of great cormorant Phalacrocorax
carbo sinensis (L.) was established in 1984 (Eschbaum et al. 2003). Until the 1990s, their abundance
remained low, but then started to increase exponentially. In 2005, the number of colonies was already
20 with ca 10 000 nesting pairs. To get the total number of cormorants, Engström (2001) suggests
multiplying the number of nests in areas where population is increasing with correction factor 4.7 –
5.2, because in addition to the nesting adults there are always juveniles in the vicinity. This means ca
50 000 adult and subadult cormorants spend their summer in Estonia. Several works estimate the
daily food intake of a cormorant to be around 500 g (Bauer & Glutz 1966; Müller 1986; Deufel 1987;
Zimmermann 1989). This means that cormorants consume ca 25 tonnes of fish per day during their
stay in the Estonian waters (approx 4 months). Altogether this gives ca 3000 t of consumed fish
annually. The total catch of the coastal fishery was 8558 t (and only 2094 t without herring) in 2007.
Problems with cormorants are the biggest in the shallow western archipelago (Moonsund, the
Väinameri Sea) area, with many still increasing colonies in protected islands, and water depths mostly
less than 10 m (where cormorants can fish up to the bottom).
We have studied the diet of cormorants in the Väinameri and other coastal areas of Estonia.
Cormorants are generalists whose diet reflects the dominant fish stocks in the area. Based on analyse
of pellets Eschbaum et al. (2003) concluded that the dominant species in the food of cormorants in
the Väinameri were viviparous blenny (39 %), roach (27 %), turbot (16%), herring 5 (%), pikeperch
(2%) and sticklebacks (2%) (by the weight). Altogether 23 species of fish were identified in the diet.
The total catch by cormorants exceeded the catch by fishermen. In addition, cormorants legally fished
on juveniles of valuable species (which is not allowed for fishermen). In another study we have shown
that a colony around the protected Käina Bay has practically destroyed this formerly very important
spawning and nursery area, and stocks of perch and roach in the adjacent regular fish monitoring area
have seriously declined. These data, together with protests of fishermen, have finally lead to the
establishment the cormorant management plan by the Ministry of the Environment, implementation of
this plan is expected to start in 2009.
2

The continuation of work regarding gaining access to fishery supplies of
other countries, being the subject of fishery contracts, in which the
European Commission became one of the parties after the accession of
Poland to the EU. The accessibility and size of fishing limits on waters
outside the EU for particular Member States are frequently assigned by the
EC on the basis of the so called historical fishing base. Poland has such a
historical fishing base on the Bering and Okhotsk seas, which are currently
closed for international fisheries. In the talks conducted with the Russian
Federation the EC should uphold its efforts for the broadening of the
extent of the contract signed in 2006 beyond the territory of the Baltic
Sea.
4. SWEDEN

Council, Commission and Member states should to a higher degree take
into
consideration
the
scientific
advice
not
only
concerning
the
development of the cod stock but also concerning the role of the cod for
the environment of the Baltic Sea such as the algal blooms and hence
seriously implement a systematic ecological approach for the management
of the Baltic Sea.

The fishing fleet should be reduced to a level where it will not be tempted
to pursue illegal fishing to manage profitability. The processing industry's
role as handler of fish from illegal fishing must be stopped.
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