Proposal for a Council Regulation fixing the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in the Baltic Sea for 2025 and amending Regulation (EU) 2024/257 as regards certain fishing opportunities in other waters

Summary:

Legislative initiative - tabled by the European Commission on 26 August 2024 - fixing the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks in the Baltic Sea for 2025 and amending Regulation (EU) 2024/257 as regards certain fishing opportunities in other waters.

Further information:

All fishing opportunities regulations must limit the harvesting of fish stocks to levels that are consistent with the overall objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 - the Basic Regulation for the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) - sets out objectives for annual and biennial proposals for catch and fishing effort limits to ensure that EU fisheries are ecologically, economically and socially sustainable. To simplify and clarify the annual TAC and quota decisions, fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea have been fixed by a separate regulation since 2006. Regulation (EU) 2016/1139 lays down the multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea, which further specifies target ranges for fishing mortality.

This draft law aims to fix Member States’ fishing opportunities for 2025 for the most commercially significant fish stocks in the Baltic Sea. It also seeks to regulate marine recreational fisheries to the extent required to conserve the fish stocks covered by this Regulation. It was adopted by the European Commission on 26 August 2024.

Official

European Commission: Press release, 26/08/2024: Commission proposes fishing opportunities for 2025 in the Baltic Sea https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_4401

European Commission: Press Release, 26/08/2024: Questions and Answers on the Commission's proposal for fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2025 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_24_4402

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News

Le Monde, 26/08/2024: The Baltic Sea faces a collapse of its fish stocks https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2024/08/26/the-baltic-sea-faces-the-collapse-of-its-fish-stocks_6721624_114.html

EurActiv, 27/08/2024: Commission proposes clampdown on fishing in the Baltic Sea, compliance with EU rules https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/commission-proposes-clampdown-on-fishing-in-the-baltic-sea-compliance-with-eu-rules/

Radio Poland, 27/08/2024: EU wants to impose fishing restrictions in the Baltic Sea for 2025 https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7786/Artykul/3418403

EU Business, 28/08/2024: Brussels sets out 2025 fishing quotas for Baltic Sea https://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/fishing-quotas-2025-baltic-sea

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