The emergency closure of the Baltic cod fishery in 2019 was the sad low point of mismanagement of Baltic fisheries. The Low Impact Fishers Europe (LIFE) apex organisation of small-scale, coastal fishers had invited managers, NGOs and other interested parties to a consultation to explore how to stop the desastrous downward spiral. Since 2019 things have not improved. On the contrary. The collapse of cod in the Western Baltic has also been followed by that of herring and sprat as major food of cod. The flatfishes are still there but can not replace either the ecological function or the economic role of the collapsed species in the ecosystem. Marta Cavallé, Executive Director of LIFE, flanked by Brian O’Riordan, her predecessor, opened the meeting and welcomed all participants. Christian Tsangarides, LIFE BANS coordinator, provided a well documented panorama about the decline of demersal (bottom) and pelagic resources in different parts of the Baltic. He reminded the audience that a semi-enclosed sea with gradually lower salinity north- and eastwards of its connection to the North Sea was per se a diffult habitat preventing most fish species from reaching the bigger sizes in the North Sea and North Atlantic. He also questioned the wisdom of allowing industrial fisheries to be let loose on herring and sprat for reduction to fish meal for Norvegian salmon fattening, while the same fish if it were allowed to grow and be caught with less impact gear in lower quantities for direct human consumption, would provide jobs and income for thousands of families.

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Bengt Larsson speaking later in the panel session flanked by Maja Kirchner of DG MARE and Bernd Söndgerath of the German Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL)

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Rainer Froese of GEOMAR, Kiel, regretted science-led mismanagement and suggested revised threshholds for recovery

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Some panelists, from right to left: Isabella Lövin, newly elected MEP for the Greens who had been a force during the CFP reform process and was coming back to help safe what was possible, Nils Höglund (CCV) and Bernd Söndgerath (BMEL)