May 29, 2019 — The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Oceana, Coalition Clean Baltic and Our Fish are calling for the European Commission and various countries’ fishing ministers to block the fishing of western Baltic herring and eastern Baltic cod altogether in 2020.
The groups say they are responding to scientific advice provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), which on Wednesday warned that both species are in a “dire state” and should not be fished.
ICES also warned that the number of young western Baltic cod entering the fishery in 2018 and 2019 are the lowest on record and suggested their catch allowances be set to the lowest levels.