Marine Ingredients Denmark warns against proposed fishing quota cuts in the Baltic Sea for 2026, citing economic consequences
Marine Ingredients Denmark has responded to a consultation note from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries regarding the European Commission’s proposal for fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea in 2026.
The organisation states that while the proposal is expected to have negative economic consequences for fishermen, it should also be noted that it will have negative consequences for Danish fishmeal and fish oil producers.
According to the organisation, fish from the Baltic Sea, including direct landings and offcuts from fish processed for direct consumption, make up about 20% of the raw material for the Danish production of fishmeal and fish oil. This represents an annual export value of approximately DKK 900 million.
Opposition to Proposed Quotas
The Commission’s proposal includes a bycatch quota for herring in the western Baltic Sea (ICES sub-area 22-24) of 394 tonnes, a 50% reduction from 2025. Marine Ingredients Denmark believes this is a “disproportionately drastic reduction in TAC from one year to the next” and will have economic and commercial consequences.
The organisation advocates that the basis for setting TACs and quotas should always be the scientific advice from ICES, not the Commission’s “assumptions about undocumented connections in fisheries and ecosystems”.
They recommend following the ICES advice for:
- herring in the Bothnian Bay (62,684 tonnes),
- central Baltic Sea (157,996 tonnes), and
- sprats (201,975 tonnes).
They highlight that the sprat stock is “within safe biological limits and in good condition,” and that fishing restrictions should not be based on undocumented or unproven scientific considerations.
Quality and Environmental Issues
The press release also notes that fishmeal and fish oil are crucial for producing farmed fish due to their high content of omega-3 fatty acids and healthy proteins. Fishing in the Baltic Sea is a “significant contributor to the value chain from catch to feed to healthy food,” and a reduction in quotas will have consequences for other actors in the value chain beyond just fishermen and fish processing companies.
Marine Ingredients Denmark acknowledges specific issues with dioxin and other pollutants in the Baltic Sea, particularly in the Bothnian Bay, which makes fish from this area unsuitable for direct human consumption.
The organisation noted that proposed reductions in the maximum limits for dioxin and dioxin-like PCBs in fishmeal and fish oil, from 5.0 ng/kg to 3.5 ng/kg, will mean a “significantly larger proportion of fish from the Baltic Sea will have to be purified”.
The organisation contributes to removing dioxin from the Baltic Sea during the production of fishmeal and fish oil, reflecting its “commitment to producing safe and reliable products while reducing pollution in the Baltic Sea”.
