Fact file: Baltic Sea: cod, herring and sprat

In the Baltic Sea, fishing primarily targets three species. Cod, herring and sprat accounted for over 94 % of Baltic catches in 2010. This is not necessarily the fishermen’s choice, but a question of ecosystem. The Baltic Sea is a virtually closed body of water in which these three species are omnipresent and interact continuously. The European Commission is therefore considering a major innovation: the drafting of a multiannual plan covering the management of all three of these species.