Latvia will oppose the European Commission’s (EC) proposal to significantly reduce herring and sprat fishing in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga in 2024, said the Ministry of Agriculture (ZM) at a meeting of the European Union (EU) Agriculture and Fisheries Council.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development says it disagrees with the EC’s plan to significantly reduce fishing for several species in the Baltic Sea countries, including Latvia, by 2024. These include a 60% reduction in catches of herring in the Baltic Sea, 20% in the Gulf of Riga and 23% for sprat compared to 2023.
According to the Ministry,
such a decision, which is excessive and not in line with scientific advice, would have a devastating impact on Latvian fisheries and the fish processing industry,
which depend on these fish resources.
The ZM urges the EC not to further restrict fishing opportunities for herring and sprat for Latvian fishermen in 2024 beyond what is necessary based on the state of fish stocks. The ZM also calls for the original proposal to be revised in accordance with the most favourable fishing opportunities as recommended by scientific advice. This approach aims to balance the conservation of fish stocks with the sustainability of the fishery.
The meeting to determine fishing quotas for the Baltic Sea in 2024 and establish these limits will convene in Luxembourg next week, on the 23rd and 24th of October. Latvian Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze (ZZS) will participate in this event.
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