Fish crisis in the Baltic Sea: BUND calls for immediate fishing break

Fish crisis in the Baltic Sea: BUND calls for immediate fishing break

The alarm bells ring loudly and clearly: the fish crisis in the Baltic Sea continues to worsen! On October 22, 2024, the EU fishermen's Minister set a fatal sign for Germany's coasts and the maritime habitat. In Luxembourg you choose a disaster again! Despite the urgent need for action, the catch rates for endangered fish species such as the western and eastern cod and the western herring remain unabated. The debate about these guidelines falls together with the ongoing world biodiversity conference in Colombia - a devastating signal!

endangered species are under pressure

What is behind this decision? The fishing rates for herring and sprats allow hundreds of thousands of tons to be skimmed down due to impetuous fish, although these important swarm fish are in the red. This ruthlessness leads to an alarming imbalance in the Ecosystem of the Baltic Sea and thus not only endangers the cod, but also the endangered whales that find less and less habitat! For the federal chairman Olaf Bandt, the decision of the fishermen's Minister is simply a "huge disappointment".

"The ministers have made it clear that they are not concerned with preserving the small coastal fishing. Your focus is on an industrial fishing that primarily produces fish flour," explains Bandt. The targeted catch from Dorsch is prohibited, but the by -catching rats the cup offside, while the flatfish fishing continues to flourish at the expense of cod population. Especially in times when only small remaining stocks exist, this ruthless regulation could make total recovery of the species impossible.

shocking stubborns

The situation is dramatic: 40 to 80 percent of the caught floes land dead in the sea because they do not meet the requirements. More than half of the caught cod is thrown overboard again because of their size or weakness. This is not just an atromy against nature - it is also a view of the future of fishing!

The call for a forced break

The situation in the Baltic Sea is critical! The ecosystem will collapse without a sustainable strategy person at fishing. "We urgently need a forced break in fishing," said Bandt again. This is the only way to get the battered fish populations to regenerate. Ecosystem -based fishing management is no longer just a possibility, but a necessity to protect the marine biodiversity!

The recommendations of the Mission Commission Ostseefish were finally presented orally after some hesitation. But so far you have been implemented almost nothing! Now it is up to Minister Cem Özdemir to play out his power and actively shape this upheaval. The socially ecological change could be his inheritance - but that finally needs action!

background information

The devastating fishing quotas are not a coincidence, but the result of years of mismanagement in fishing. Despite persistent warnings and recommendations for improvement, such as the protection of marine protection areas and the creation of sustainable fishing methods, the development of Baltic Sea fishing as a current focus problem.

• BUND message with background briefing
• Confederation for fishing policy
• Contact: Valeska Diemel, Confederation of Fisheries, mobile: 0178-8101714 Valeska.diemel@bund.net

Time to act is now. A sustainable fishing sector is not only essential for the environment, but also for our next generation!