Fisheries – new regulations take effect in January 2024.

The new regulations, which came into force on January 1, 2024, include the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on the size and protection periods of marine organisms caught in recreational fishing (OJ. 2023 item. 2816).

Recreational fishing

This document implements the authorization contained in the law of December 19, 2014. On marine fisheries, according to which the minister in charge of fisheries determines, by regulation, the dimensions and protection periods of marine organisms for the performance of recreational fishing, the detailed manner and conditions for carrying out this activity and the amount of the fee for it.

The need for a new regulation stems from the contents of the May 26, 2023 law. On supporting the sustainable development of the fisheries sector with the participation of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund for 2021-2027. In addition to the aforementioned guidelines, the regulation also takes into account EU regulations prohibiting, among other things. Recreational fishing for cod, eel and salmon without the adipose fin cut off.

The regulation indicates, among other things. The number of seaports where:

• From September 15 to the last day of February, spinning fishing is prohibited;
• introduced a protective size for the beluga and allowed it to be fished with an artificial lure with a yarn loop attached to it that does not injure the fish;
• New catch limits have been established for certain fish species;
• A new list of non-native species that must not be released into the water after being caught has been indicated;
• New recreational fishing fee rates have been set.

Regulation setting fishing opportunities for 2024.

As of January 1, 2024. Council Regulation (EU) of November 20, 2023 became effective. setting fishing opportunities for 2024. for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks in the Baltic Sea and amending Regulation (EU) 2023/194 with regard to fishing opportunities in other waters. We wrote about the work on the regulation in a previous article: Political agreement on Baltic fishing quotas reached .

An EU Council regulation sets fishing quotas:

• western cod;
• eastern cod;
• western herring;
• central herring;
• sprat;
• salmon;
• plaice

possible to be caught by EU Baltic Sea states.

The EU regulation also indicates which fish species are banned from targeted fishing for their protection, and which species cannot be fished recreationally in the Baltic Sea area.

The regulation prohibits fishing for pelagic stocks with a pelagic trawl:

• In sub-districts 25 and 26 from April 1 to April 30;
• In sub-districts 27 and 28.2 from April 16 to May 15;
• In sub-districts 29 and 32 from May 1 to May 31.

In order to protect the spawning grounds of Atlantic herring and spawning Atlantic cod, it prohibits, subject to certain exceptions, fishing with any type of fishing gear:

• In sub-districts 25 and 26 from May 1 to August 31;
• In subdivision 24 from May 15 to August 15;
• In sub-districts 22 and 23 from January 15 to March 31.

Fisheries in Poland

According to the latest study by the Central Statistical Office entitled The Maritime Economy in Poland in 2021-2022, published in November 2023, the Polish fishing fleet in 2022 numbered 824 units (699 boats, 123 cutters and 2 trawlers), and catches of fish and other marine organisms in 2022 amounted to 162.6 thousand tons, with 109.8 thousand tons of fish caught in the Baltic Sea. The species structure of the catch, as in previous years, was dominated by sprats caught exclusively in the Baltic Sea. In 2022, 71.2 thousand tons of this fish were caught, which accounted for nearly 44 percent of the weight of Polish total catches.

In 2021 and 2022, the Polish fishing fleet, in addition to fishing in Baltic fisheries, also operated in deep-sea fisheries. In 2021. were the northeastern region in the Atlantic and the southeastern region within the Pacific Ocean. Deep-sea fishing in 2022. They reached 52,800. t.