Following the release of a survey showing that the status of the sea trout in the Baltic Sea is critically endangered, the marine conservation organization issued a press release last week urging countries in the region to combat the threat by enacting trout fishing bans.
We are happy to see that Finnish authorities are banning wild sea trout fisheries in territorial waters, says Hanna Paulomki, Baltic Sea Project Manager and Marine Scientist at Oceana. However, we insist that coastal waters be included in the ban, as recreational fisheries, which take place in coastal areas and river mouths, constitute the biggest threat to this species. Furthermore, we urge other Baltic Sea countries with threatened sea trout stocks to follow the Finnish example in their own waters.
Apart from some fishing bans in certain river mouths and closed season, sea trout has so far been almost completely unmanaged. No TAC or quotas exist for this endangered species, underscoring the timely institution of this ban.
Oceana Celebrates Finnish Sea Trout Fishing Ban
FINLAND - Oceana welcomes last Fridays (30 November 2012) decision by the authorities of Uusimaa and the Southeast Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment to ban wild sea trout fisheries in the Gulf of Finland. The ban applies to all types of fisheries (including recreational) in the territorial waters beyond the coastal waters.
