Fishing quotas for 2027 in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga have been approved this week at a meeting of the European Union (EU) Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg.
Following discussions among industry experts from the Baltic Sea Fisheries Forum (BALTFISH) in Luxembourg on the evening of 25 October, and subsequent negotiations at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council late on Monday evening, a compromise was reached on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for next year.
The final decision largely reflects the common position agreed upon by the Baltic Sea countries.
Under the agreement, Latvia will be allocated a herring fishing quota of 4,581 tonnes in the Baltic Sea for 2027, representing a 71% increase compared with 2026. The European Commission (EC) had initially proposed an increase of 49%.
The cod bycatch quota will remain at 10 tonnes, unchanged from this year. Cod may only be caught as bycatch.
The European Commission had initially proposed reducing cod fishing allowances by 90% in subdivisions 22–24 and by 50% in subdivisions 25–32.
In the Gulf of Riga, the herring fishing quota has been approved at 20,550 tonnes, an increase of 11% compared with 2026.
Meanwhile, Latvia’s sprat fishing quota will reach 40,340 tonnes, representing a 44% increase.
The salmon catch allowance in the Baltic Sea will remain unchanged at 3,366 fish.
The Ministry of Agriculture explained that the compromise revised the European Commission’s initial proposals concerning cod bycatch limits and restrictions on recreational salmon fishing, including angling and fishing for personal consumption.
The permitted cod bycatch volumes and conditions will remain identical to those in force in 2026.
According to the ministry, these limits correspond to actual bycatch levels and therefore no longer threaten the continuation of fishing for other species along Latvia’s Baltic Sea coast.
The Baltic Sea countries also rejected a proposed complete ban on recreational salmon fishing.
The ministry explained that there was no justification for prohibiting the catching of hatchery-raised salmon, which are identified by their clipped adipose fins.
Latvia’s greatest concern was the European Commission’s original proposal to reduce cod bycatch allowances by 50%, which the country considered unacceptable.
Negotiators successfully secured changes to that proposal.
The discussions also resulted in a 71% increase in fishing opportunities for herring in the central Baltic Sea, in line with scientifically permitted catch levels, compared with the European Commission’s initial proposal for a 49% increase.
The Ministry of Agriculture noted that fishing opportunities in 2027 will also increase by 44% for sprat and 11% for herring in the Gulf of Riga.
Ģirts Krūmiņš, State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, said the decisions are important for ensuring the responsible use of fish resources available in the Baltic Sea rather than leaving them to Russian fishing operations.
According to Krūmiņš, Russia has significantly exceeded its allocated fishing quotas for many years and has failed to respect the condition of fish stocks.
“I am very pleased that both sprat and herring quotas will increase substantially next year. We should make the most of these opportunities to generate the greatest possible economic benefit and added value,” Krūmiņš said.
He emphasised that the increased quotas would strengthen Latvia’s coastal communities and support local fishermen and fish processors, whose livelihoods depend directly on the resources provided by the sea.
Krūmiņš stressed that the most important achievement during the negotiations was preserving the existing cod bycatch quota, which the European Commission had sought to reduce.
“I believe our decisions must not threaten the survival of fishing in the Baltic Sea or the traditional coastal way of life, as adopting the European Commission’s proposal would have done,” Krūmiņš said.
He added that the agreement would help protect the livelihoods of Latvia’s coastal fishermen and ensure they can continue their work.