The EU believes the fishing quotas for cod in the Baltic Sea must be cut dramatically. It creates discord among member states.
Monday Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers of the EU in Luxembourg tried to agree on fishing quotas in the Baltic Sea for 2017.
Ahead of the meeting, the EU has indicated that the cod quota should be cut by as much as 88 percent west of the Baltic Sea and by 39 percent east of the Baltic Sea. It has met opposition in Denmark and Germany.
– I think this is unrealistic because it economically can lead to an end to the fishery west of the Baltic Sea, said Germany’s of Agriculture and Food Minister Christian Schmidt in Monday’s ministerial meeting.
He believes there must be solutions that take better care of the fishing industry in the Baltic Sea.
Sweden however stands behind cut proposal.
– It is very important that we put in place a sharp reduction in cod, said Sweden’s countryside minister Sven-Erik Bucht on the way into the meeting.
He will also regulate recreational fishing more strictly to help ensure cod stocks.
– It will be difficult, but it is necessary to address this problem.
If we fail to regulate cod stocks, it will be catastrophic.
The stock may in principle be extinct. The scientific advice shows that strong regulations are required, said Bucht.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
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