European Commission proposes 2027 Baltic Sea fishing quotas

The European Commission has proposed fishing opportunities for the Baltic Sea for the year 2027. The proposal establishes total allowable catches and quotas for ten EU-managed fish populations.

Specific species included in the proposal are Atlantic herring in the Bothnian Gulf, the central Baltic Sea, and the Gulf of Riga; northern sprat; large plaice; Atlantic salmon in the main fishing area and the Gulf of Finland; and cod in the western and eastern Baltic Sea.

The proposal responds to scientific assessments highlighting the critical state of several fish populations. It also suggests reducing the allocation of unavoidable bycatch for cod and Atlantic herring. These figures are based on recommendations from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and follow the multi-annual management plan for the Baltic Sea adopted in 2016. EU member states will make the final decision on the maximum amounts of key commercial species that can be caught.