On October 23 and 24, in Luxembourg, the Minister for Agriculture, Armands Krauze, will participate in the EU Council of Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries, where Member States will make a decision on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea in 2024, laying down admissible amount of catch.
The Ministry of Agriculture (ZM) does not agree with the European Commission (EC) who is planning for the Baltic Sea states, including Latvia, a considerable reduction in catch of several fish species: it is planned to reduce the catch of Baltic herring in the Baltic Sea by 60%, catch of Baltic herring in Gulf of Riga by – 20%, but sprats by – 23% as compared with 2023. Such a decision, if it is made, would leave a devastating impact on Latvia’s fishery and fish procession sector, which, to a great extent, is dependent on resources of this fish.
ZM does not support the ungrounded proposals from EC because they are exaggerated and do not comply with recommendations of researchers. ZM is insistent in its demand not to reduce fishing opportunities of Latvian fishermen, regarding Baltic herring and sprats in 2024 more than it is required by the condition of fish stocks and asks EC to change the initial proposal in accordance with the best admissible fishing opportunities recommended by research. Thus, both conservation of fish stocks and further viability of fishery would be ensured.