Fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea (2025)

KEY POINTS

Total allowable catches and allocations

• TACs for various fish species from the Baltic Sea in 2025 are listed in the Annex to the regulation.
• The set limits follow the principle of sustainable exploitation in line with the maximum sustainable yield² and the multiannual management plan for Baltic Sea fisheries (Regulation (EU) 2016/1139).
• They are based on the best available scientific advice from the International Council on the Exploration of the Seas and take into account biological and socioeconomic factors.
• The limits are decided by the EU Member States based on a European Commission proposal.
• The TAC for each individual species is divided into quotas – proportions of the TAC assigned to Member States.

Species quotas

TACs for 2025 are summarised as follows.

• Cod (Gadus morhua):
  • due to low biomass levels, the regulation sets TACs for by-catches³ only, in order to allow for the recovery of the stocks;
  • fhe catch limits for the two cod stocks (eastern Baltic and western Baltic) are reduced by 28 % and 22 % respectively, compared to 2024 levels;
  • recreational cod fishing in the entire area is banned, but the regulation takes into account incidental by-catches;
  • fishing in some areas is prohibited at certain times to protect cod spawning.
• Herring (Clupea harengus):
  • catch limits for central Baltic herring are increased by 108 % on the basis of an increase of the maximum sustainable yield due to a positive scientific forecast of the stock's biomass;
  • catch limits for herring in the Gulf of Riga and herring in the Gulf of Bothnia are increased by 10 % and 21 %, respectively;
  • due to low biomass levels of western Baltic herring, the regulation retains the 2024 TAC for unavoidable by-catches.
• Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa):
  • while plaice stocks are healthy, cod is an unavoidable by-catch in plaice fisheries, so the TAC level remains the same as in 2024.
• Sprat (Sprattus sprattus):
  • the TAC is reduced by 31 %, in order to prevent a decline below sustainable levels.
• Salmon (Salmo salar):
  • the TAC is decreased by 36 % but is maintained for salmon in the Gulf of Finland;
  • the restrictions on recreational salmon fishing are maintained.

Amendment to Regulation (EU) 2024/257

The regulation also amends Regulation (EU) 2024/257 (see summary) in relation to an agreement with the United Kingdom on fishing opportunities for Norway pout in the Skagerrak-Kattegat and in the North Sea.