The Council of the European Union reached a political agreement on the fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2026, following the Commission proposal made in August this year.
- For eastern cod and western cod, the Council has decided to set by-catch total allowable catch (TACs) only, so fishing will remain limited to accidental catches while targeting other species.
- Western Baltic herring will, in principle, also have a bycatch-only TAC, but the Council maintained an exception for small-scale coastal fishers.
- Catches of salmon in the main basin are also limited to by-catches, except during the summer in the coastal areas of the Aland Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia.
- The agreement allows increases in catches of sprat (+45%), central Baltic herring (+15%) and Gulf of Finland salmon (+1%).
- On the other hand, main basin salmon (-27%), Riga herring (-17%) and plaice (-3%) decrease, and for Bothnian herring the Council set a prudent provisional TAC until the end of October 2026.
The Council followed the Commission’s proposal on some elements. However, the Commission is concerned that some elements of the agreement are less likely to contribute to the rebuilding of the fisheries that rely on the recovery of certain stocks for their economic activities than the Commission proposal. This is the case for the total allowable catches (TACs) for Bothnian herring and central herring, as well as continued targeted commercial fisheries for western Baltic herring and recreational fisheries for main basin salmon.
Overall, the dire environmental state of the Baltic Sea leads to the pressing need to fully implement the EU legislation at all levels in an effective manner and to allow a rebuilding trajectory. The commitment by the Commission and the Baltic Member States to ask for a specific scientific advice on rebuilding trajectories will start a systematic approach in this direction.
More information
Council agreement on 2026 catch limits in the Baltic Sea
Commission proposal for the fishing opportunities for 2026 in the Baltic Sea
Total allowable catches and quotas
Overview of TAC changes 2025-2026
| COMMISSION proposal | COUNCIL agreement | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name Latin name |
ICES FISHING ZONES |
TACs 2025 |
2026 |
2026 |
TACs 2026 |
variation |
| in tonnes | in tonnes | variation | in tonnes | in % | ||
Bothnian herring Clupeaharengus | Baltic Sea subdivisions 30-31 |
66,446 |
25,560 |
-62% |
39,108* |
-41% |
Western herring Clupeaharengus | Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-24 | 788 (by- catch only) | 394 (by-catch only) |
-50% | 788 (by-catch only) | 0% |
Centralherring Clupeaharengus | Baltic Sea subdivisions 25-27, 28.2, 29, 32 | 83,881 | 83,881 |
0% | 96,463 | +15% |
Riga herring Clupeaharengus | Baltic Sea subdivision 28.1 | 41,635 | 34,367 | -17% | 34,367 | -17% |
Eastern cod Gadus morhua | Baltic Sea subdivisions 25-32 | 430 (by- catch only) | 159 (by-catch only) | -63% | 430 (by-catch only) | 0% |
Western cod Gadus morhua | Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-24 | 266 (by- catch only) | 42 (by-catch only) | -84% | 266 (by-catch only) | 0% |
Plaice Pleuronectes platessa | Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-32 | 11,313 | 10,973 | -3% | 10,973 | -3% |
Main basin salmon Salmo salar | Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-31 | 34,787 specimens | 25,537 specimens (by-catch only) | -27% | 25,537 specimens (by-catch only) | -27% |
Gulf of Finland salmon Salmo salar | Baltic Sea subdivision 32 | 8,117 specimens | 10,232 specimens | +1% | 10,232 specimens | +1% |
Sprat Sprattus sprattus | Baltic Sea subdivisions 22-32 | 139,500 | 139,500 | 0% | 201,975 | +45% |
* May only be fished from 1 January to 31 October 2026
Details
- Publication date
- 28 October 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries