The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has issued restrictive catch advice for Baltic salmon in order to protect weak river-specific stocks, while recognising that carefully designed spatial and temporal management can allow limited fishing opportunities. This advice has triggered policy decisions that directly affect recreational salmon fisheries in the Baltic Sea.
The European Anglers Alliance (EAA) supports the protection and recovery of vulnerable salmon stocks but considers that current management measures affecting recreational anglers are not always proportionate, scientifically robust, or ecosystem-based. Recreational fishing is not the cause of weak salmon populations, yet it delivers high social, economic and conservation value, including strong angler engagement in river restoration and stock recovery.
EAA therefore calls for a more balanced, adaptive and ecosystem-based salmon management approach, grounded in up-to-date science, realistic assessments of recreational fishing impacts, and policies that maintain angler involvement as a key driver for long-term salmon conservation.
EAA suggests the following actions and regulations.
The full position paper, including notes and references, can be downloaded below.
- A bag limit of one salmon (excluding recent spawners) per angler and day for sea anglers south of latitude 59.30 N.
- Recreational trolling north of 59.30 N should be subject to member state regulation and not be unnecessarilyt regulated by a 4 naturical mile boundary.
- Take into account that ICES acknowledges that most of the catch-and-release (C&R) salmon in recreational trolling survive when discarded.
- Regulations demanding landing of whole un-filleted fish should only be for salmonids (salmon and sea trout), not for other species such as pike, perch and pikeperch.
- Utilise more EMFAF funding for the removal of fish migration barriers in the rivers.
- An ecosystem-based and adaptive management plan for salmon must be adopted.
- Adoption of the Framework towards development of a European Management Plan for the Great Cormorant1 to reduce the impact of cormorant predation on salmon stocks.
