Baltic herring catches
Sprat catches
Cod catches
Salmon catches
Fish catches in the Baltic Sea have been stable during the past
three years. In 2000, the gross catch was 79,500 t fish, which was
45% more than that in 1991.
The total allowed catch in the Baltic Sea was lowered as a
result of declining fish stocks indicated by research. In 2001,
the fishing quota allocated to Latvia was 72,100 t fish, which was
only 56% of the quota in 1994. In 2000, the fishing catch of
Latvia amounted to 94% of its quota.
Baltic herring catches
Compared with other marine species, Baltic herring catches
during the 1990's have been the most stable. In 2000, the herring
catch was 80% of that in 1991, or 96% of the allocated quota for
herring catches. Since the herring catch limits are determined for
the Baltic Sea as a whole, not treating the Riga Gulf separately,
the Latvian quota has also decreased beginning from 1999,
regardless of the good fishing potential in its waters. In 2001,
the herring fishing quota was 54% of that in 1994-1998.
Herring resources in the Baltic Sea have tended to decrease.
Compared with the level in 1991, the herring spawning stock
biomass in 2001 had decreased to 46%, but compared to the level in
1974, to only 32%. However, the herring stocks in the Riga Gulf
have grown, and their condition is good and stable. The main
reason for improvement of stocks in the Riga Gulf has been
eutrophication which has created optimal conditions for
development of fish food resources. Presently, the herring
spawning stock biomass in the Riga Gulf is 1/4 of that in the
entire Baltic Sea.
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Sprat catches
Sprat is the most important fishing species in terms of catches.
Sprat catches in 2000 have increased by 2.5 times compared to that
in 1991. In 2000, Latvia used 93% of sprat fishing quota. While
the sprat stocks were still relatively large, the fishing quota in
2001 was lower by 32% in comparison to that in 1996-1998. A
long-term strategy for management of sprat stocks is developed
which aims to maintain fishing intensity within biologically safe
limits.
After a decline in sprat stocks during an increase in the cod
population in the 1970's to 1980's, the sprat population recovered
in the 1990's following a decline of the cod population, and
reached a historical maximum in 1996-1997. Despite the decline in
the spawning stock population during last years, the sprat stocks
are still considered to be within safe biological limits.
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Cod catches
Cod catches are many times lower than that of herring and sprat,
since their stocks are limited by unsuitable spawning conditions
in the Baltic Sea. In Latvian waters, fishing is practical only in
the south. Cod catches have increased since the mid 1990's, and in
2000 the catch surpassed that in 1991 by 2.4 times. The Latvian
cod catch has been lower than the quota. The quota in 2001 was
lowered to 42% of that in 1997.
During the second half of the 1980's, spawning conditions
rapidly deteriorated, and the continuation of intensive fishing
caused a decline of the East Baltic population in the 1990's to a
historical low level. Due to hydrological conditions, the cod
spawn occurs only in the southern part of the Baltic Sea, in the
Bornholm deep. To restrict further population declines and to
create conditions for population recovery, a long-term strategy on
regulation of fishing for cod stocks has been developed.
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Salmon catches
Salmon catches have decreased since the beginning of the
1990's, mainly due to a declining market demand. In 2000, the
salmon catch from the Latvian fleet was only 31% of that in 1991,
and only 50% of the quota for Latvia. Latvia's quota has remained
unchanged.
The condition of the salmon population of the Baltic Sea is
within safe biological limits, but the stocks and fishing
potential are mostly dependent on artificially raised salmon. The
proportion of salmon smolts originating from natural spawns is
only 9%. A future goal is to increase natural production of salmon
in the Baltic Sea. In this regard, the Salmon Action Plan is being
implemented.
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