Starting in January 2026, Estonia will significantly limit the amount of fish that each buyer can buy in one day, writes the Estonian media outlet ERR News.
The Estonian Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture has drafted a bill to amend the Fisheries Act and harmonize the country’s legislation with the European Union’s Fisheries Law (CFP). The bill stipulates that private individuals will be able to purchase up to ten kilograms of fish per day instead of the previous 30 kilograms, while the limit for Baltic salmon will be two fish per day.
The explanatory memorandum to the bill states that the changes will mainly affect coastal residents who buy fish from fishermen, but since these buyers buy more often, the ten-kilogram limit should not affect them too much. The ministry said the current limit was suitable for people who buy larger quantities of fish a few times a season, adding that inspectors have long warned that such a large amount is risky because it allows for undocumented fish to be moved.
The new
limit aims to reduce the amount of fish of uncertain origin and ensure better protection of natural resources,
and will also introduce changes to how violations of the new rules are classified.
Currently, EU legislation allows one Baltic salmon with clipped adipose fins to be caught per day in the open sea, while fishing for European sturgeon and eel at sea is prohibited.
The draft law provides for a sharp increase in fines, with fines for private individuals reaching up to 50,000 euros and for legal entities up to 400,000 euros. The higher fines are mainly due to long fishing trips, which can last up to four months, and the value of illegally caught fish can be measured in hundreds of thousands of euros.
According to the ministry, approximately 500 fisheries sell their products only to private individuals, and approximately 2,000 tons of fish are sold without documentation each year.
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