cod

The largest study to date of the cod stock in the eastern Baltic Sea shows that the fish has never had it worse. Behind the study are, among others, researchers from DTU Aqua, and according to senior researcher at the Department of Aquatic Resources, Stefan Neuenfeldt, the situation looks bleak. “I do not think we can save the stock as it looks now. But we can help the cod to survive, so that in 10-15 years it will have a second chance in a Baltic Sea, which hopefully is easier to live in by then.” Twice a year, researchers in Denmark and its neighbouring countries catch cod in the Baltic Sea to investigate how the stock is doing. Less than 20 years ago, the largest cod were up to 80 centimeters long, and healthy and strong fish were generally caught.

The European Commission has adopted a proposal offering support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund to fishermen affected by the closure of the Eastern Baltic cod fishery to permanently decommission their fishing vessels. Cod fisheries is important in the Eastern Baltic Sea, but the stock is in very poor shape. At the Council meeting in mid-October, fisheries ministers agreed on a Commission proposal to reduce fishing possibilities in 2020 to almost zero. While this step is necessary to give the stock a chance to recover, it also means severe and unavoidable economic hardship for the fleets and fishing communities traditionally fishing this stock.

Norwegian cod exports have exceeded $1 billion for the second year in a row,…