Advice & Recommendations

Following on the BSAC recommendations concerning the development of offshore windfarms (OWF) in the Baltic Sea and the Commission answer of 11th July 2023, the BSAC welcomed that the Commission has put forward a non-recurrent request to ICES to examine the impact of OWF on the environment and recommended the Commission to make its request to ICES recurrent.

The BSAC insisted on

• compensation of the impacts of OWF (covering present and future, even unforeseen cumulative impacts.
• the effects of decommissioning OWF

The BSAC was consulted on two draft Joint Recommendation regarding fisheries conservation measures in five marine protected areas in the Baltic Sea

3 BSAC members answered and give a detailed position on the proposed draft JR that are annexed to the letter.

The letter is also sent to the BALTFISH Presidency and Member States representatives at BSAC.

The provisions of the Regulation on fishing opportunities restrict the fishery in SDs 22-23 from February to March and in SD 24-26 during the summer months (May – August) “to protect cod spawning process”.

ICES noted that there is a lack of specific data on by-catch of cod at 20 m and 30 m depths for active and passive gears

BSAC recommends that BALTFISH Member States allow scientific test fishing to be carried out to find evidence that there is no cod bycatch between 20 and 30 m depth.

In the context of the Marine Action Plan published in February 2023 and in general, BSAC recommends the STECF and the Commission to invite relevant external experts to its meeting.

BSAC also raises two questions:

• What timeline STECF will adopt for the development of the advice foreseen in the Marine Action Plan?
• How STECF will understand the term ‘highest long-term yield’ in the mixed fisheries context ?

In this letter following-up on the BALTFISH Forum meeting discussions, the BSAC highlighted that:

• It is of the opinion that proposals such as the one made this year by the Commission in terms of fishing opportunities should be developed also in the light of their socio-economic impact.
• It recommends to the Commission to ask ICES to evaluate the new method behind setting reference points for central herring.
• It would like to ask the Commission for more transparency in requesting scientific advice

The BSAC sent a letter to the Commission, member States and ICES on eel and the Joint Special Group.

The BSAC wants to highlight that European eel is a great example of topic that should be on the work programme of the Group. It is an important file to be discussed by both fisheries and environmental ministries and stakeholders.

The BSAC recommends that the Commission publicly share the draft update of the Eel Management Plan guidance document.

The BSAC recommends that the Commission also enquires on how the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction or “High Seas Treaty”, recently signed by the EU, could help protecting eels throughout their life cycle.

BSAC recommendations on the energy transition of the Baltic Sea fisheries sector.

In the recommendations document, background information is considered first, the BSAC recommendations are then presented. It also includes an Annex with details on EMFAF programs in the Member States.

BSAC Chair letter thanking the Commission for the invitation to Our Baltic Ministerial Conference on the 29th September and sharing the BSAC recommendations on the energy transition of
the Baltic Sea fisheries sector.

The Commission response was received the 17th October 2023.

The BSAC Executive Committee Chair seeks clarification to correctly interpret and implement Article 4(7) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/242 in the context of the revision of the BSAC Rules of Procedures.

The BSAC takes note of the Commission’s Communication and accompanying Staff Working Document. The BSAC provides feedback and comments following the Commission’s request. On 7th July 2023, the BSAC has already sent its recommendation for the fishery in the Baltic Sea in 2024 to the Commission.

BSAC request for a Baltic roundtable discussion before Fisheries Council of October

BSAC recommendations on the legal Acts introducing a new mandatory trawl gear device

The recommendation was also uploaded on the Commission’s consultation website.