Estonia’s coastal fishery
This article was featured in Eurofish Magazine 4 2025.
Commercial fishing in Estonia is split into different segments depending on the area being fished and the size of the vessel. Vessels in the coastal fleet are the smallest and most numerous. Baltic Sea trawlers number under two dozen and are all above 18 m in length, while the high seas fleet comprised three active vessels in 2023 with an average length of 61 m.
The Estonian coastal fishery remains a crucial part of the nation’s fishing sector despite facing mounting challenges. It spans the Baltic Sea’s varied regions—the Gulf of Finland, the high seas near Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, the Väinameri Sea, the Gulf of Riga, and Pärnu Bay—and relies primarily on trap nets and gill nets, with a fleet composed almost entirely of small boats under 12 metres in length. While this fishery contributes significantly to domestic fish supply and coastal livelihoods, it is under strain from demographic, environmental, economic, and regulatory pressures.
Entering the coastal fishery can be dauntingly expensive
According to Erko Veltson, fisheries specialist at the Estonian Fisheries Information Centre, the average age of a coastal fisher in Estonia is 55 and rising. Entry into the sector is prohibitively expensive for many younger people. Prospective fishers often face upfront investments of around €100,000 for gear, licences, and vessels, with little or no government support. As Mr -Veltson says, neither the government nor the EU supports it… I think this is the main issue. Most new entrants come from fishing families and inherit the necessary infrastructure; for outsiders, the barriers are often too high. There have been discussions within the administration about extending support to young people who wish to join the sector, but so far they have not led to concrete measures, he adds. Fishing activity is seasonal and is concentrated in specific months, notably April and May for Baltic herring, with activity declining sharply in summer when warmer waters compromise fish quality. This forces many fishers to diversify their income, combining fishing with other work. Earning a living purely from -fishing is not feasible, says Mr Veltson
Hendrik Terras, Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Republic of Estonia
In 2023, there were 2,282 coastal fishers in total in Estonia of which 1,935 were registered to fish in the Baltic Sea. Less than 3% (55) of these fishers were women. The counties with the greatest number of fishers were Harju in the north, and Saare, Pärnu, and Hiuu in the west. According to the latest Estonian Fishery Yearbook (2022-23) for only 10% of coastal fishers is fishing their main source of income. Around 2,015 vessels were used by coastal fishers in the Baltic Sea, a number that has increased steadily since 2016. Together these vessels had just under 22,000 kW of power and 2,348 GT. Despite high registration numbers, only about 300 to 400 fishers are actively catching and selling fish. While fishing remains a cultural touchstone, it is not always economically sustainable, particularly given the competition from invasive species, declining fish stocks, and predation by cormorants and seals. These predators consume fish stocks on a scale that exceeds catches by fishers. Although limited seal and cormorant control is permitted, the EU’s ban on trading seal products limits mitigation efforts. The authorities seek to encourage the consumption of cormorants by organising training course for chefs on how to prepare cormorant meat. If successful it may establish a market for the birds and create an incentive for hunters to target them. To persuade sceptics of the merits of this approach a livestream from a cormorant colony has also been set up to show the impact of large cormorant colonies on the surrounding vegetation. Nevertheless, a balance has to be struck between vilifying cormorants and allowing them to multiply unrestrictedly. The Estonian Ornithological Society named the cormorant its bird of the year in 2025 suggesting that the predator also has its supporters.
Climate change has direct and indirect effects
The impact of climate change, while not yet drastic, is evident in warmer winters and shifting seasonal patterns. Some species are becoming more scarce or unpredictable, while others, such as the round goby, a previously maligned non-native species, are now economically significant. The round goby catch has increased notably across multiple regions, particularly in the Väinameri Sea and the Gulf of Riga, and its market value rose by 35% from 2022 to 2023. However, overall Baltic herring is still the most commercially valuable species with catches in 2023 reaching over 9,300 tonnes or more than three fourths of the total coastal catch. The other two significant species were perch and smelt, which accounted for 6.6% and 5.5% respectively of the volumes and 30% and 7.8% of the value of the total Baltic Sea catch.
Economically, the sector remains modest at the national level though -significant in coastal areas. In 2023, the estimated revenue from coastal fishery reached €7.4 million—a notable increase from €4.8 million in 2022, largely driven by higher first-sale prices and a strong herring season. Baltic herring continues to dominate in volume and value, especially in Pärnu Bay, which accounted for nearly 8,000 tonnes of the species in 2023, more than in any other region. Smelt, perch, and pikeperch also contribute significantly to the overall catch. Efforts are being made to add greater value to the catch so that fishers continue to earn even if catch volumes or raw fish prices fall. At the Fish Information Centre staff members offer training to fishers and to employees in processing factories on how to process and add value to fish.
Baltic herring dominates catches
In the Gulf of Finland, catches remain lower than in other regions, with -herring, flounder, and perch being the most important species. Here, herring catches have fluctuated modestly since 2014 with a faintly increasing tendency since 2016. Flounder numbers have generally fallen over the years. The year 2023 was no exception with flounder catches at 34 t—better than each the three previous years but a 50% drop compared to the years 2011-16. The 2023 perch catch in this region, while modest, was the highest in nearly a decade. In value terms, catches of sea trout and salmon were the most important species after herring. Areas near Saaremaa and Hiiumaa also see significant flounder and round goby activity, though flounder catches in these waters hit record lows in 2023. The round goby has surged, however, with catches rising to 46 tonnes in 2023. In these waters, perch is also growing in importance, with the 2023 catch reaching 34 tonnes. The Väinameri Sea, another key coastal fishing area, saw record catches in 2023, driven primarily by perch and ide. The perch catch reached 317 tonnes, while ide catches hit 84 tonnes—both the highest in the 2007–2023 data series. Whitefish, herring, and roach also contributed significantly. Notably, trap nets have become more prominent here, with increasing catches of species like gibel carp and vimba bream. All in all, the 2023 catch was
In the Gulf of Riga (excluding Pärnu Bay), herring remains dominant but at reduced volumes—the 2023 catch was 411 tonnes, half the long-term average. However, the round goby and perch are filling part of this gap, with goby catches reaching 177 tonnes and perch holding steady at around 132 tonnes. The region’s garfish catch more than doubled in 2023 compared to the previous year, highlighting its growing role in the coastal fishery. Pärnu Bay stands out as the most important area for both volume and revenue. In 2023, it accounted for the largest share of the national herring catch. Smelt and perch also perform well here, with smelt catches exceeding 630 tonnes and perch around 290 tonnes. Pikeperch, while once more prominent, remains low at 22 tonnes. Vimba bream stocks have risen since the removal of the Sindi dam on the Pärnu River, allowing better spawning conditions, and catches remain strong at nearly 70 tonnes in both 2022 and 2023. For the coastal fishery as a whole revenues jumped in 2023 to EUR7.4m after declining 11% year on year in 2022 to EUR4.8m. The increase in 2023 was driven by higher first sale prices for herring and smelt combined with stronger catches of herring. In 2023 catches were lower than the average of the 2007-23 period due to the low herring catch. However, the total yield from other species as a whole was higher thanks to round goby, catches of which more than doubled compared to the year before.
Trap and gillnets are the most commonly used fishing gear
Fishing gear and practices are locally specific and often traditional. In Pärnu Bay, for instance, herring is caught using pound nets placed in established, informal zones known among the fishermen. While officially unregulated, territorial habits are respected while in other regions, spatial conflicts are less pronounced due to lower fisher densities and wider available areas. Trap nets in Pärnu Bay, for instance, are placed 300 m apart. In other parts of the Gulf of Riga too trap nets and gill nets are the main gear used followed by seines. Longlines are responsible for a small fraction of the catch. Fishing effort is influenced by fish abundance and the availability of other employment opportunities. It tends to fall when abundance is low or other work is readily available. Catches from the Pärnu Bay in 2023 were higher than the average of the 2009-23 period thanks mainly to herring and smelt. For other species (perch, pike-perch, vimba bream, and garfish) catches have remained below average since a peak in 2014.
Erko Veltson, Fisheries Specialist, Fisheries Information Centre
Technological changes are also reshaping the sector. The mandatory introduction of electronic catch reporting has been met with frustration, particularly among older fishers. The requirement to report via smartphone in wet, cold conditions has proved challenging, leading some to leave the industry or delegate reporting to younger colleagues. Despite government efforts to improve the system’s usability, it remains a source of contention. Producer organisations (POs) play a role in organising the market, particularly in Pärnu, where one PO agrees on herring prices with processors before the season begins. However, not all fishers join these bodies. As Mr Veltson notes, mistrust rooted in the Soviet-era legacy of collective farming still affects attitudes toward cooperation. Yet, younger fishers are gradually showing more interest, encouraged by higher levels of support available to PO members.
Coastal fishery needs to be made more attractive for young people
Overall, the Estonian coastal fishery illustrates a complex and changing sector. It is anchored in tradition but adapting to shifting biological, social, and regulatory conditions. It remains economically modest but locally vital, especially in coastal regions. Without meaningful support to address generational turnover and entry costs, the future of the sector looks uncertain. Yet, as Mr Veltson points out, there is resilience: “I think the coastal fisheries will survive. But… it needs to become more interesting for our youngsters.” The preservation and adaptation of this sector will depend not just on fish stocks or quotas, but on broader policies that acknowledge its cultural and economic role along Estonia’s coast.
