Pilot project for the preparation of certification (MSC) of gillnet fishing in the Baltic Sea (38974)

Fishing for some important stocks has been assessed in accordance with Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) principles for sustainable fisheries. All these fisheries have now passed the assessment and are certified, with a single exception: Gillnet fishing in the Baltic. This is due to the lack of evidence for gillnet fishing East of Bornholm not having by-catches of the very small population of harbor porpoises which are found in the Baltic Sea in Ices Subdivision (SD) 24 and East.
 
There has not been registered by-catch of porpoises in the Danish gillnet fishing East of Bornholm, neither in biological studies nor by fishermen themselves. But as the Swedish and Polish studies have shown individual by-catches in some gillnet fisheries and the current estimates of stock size means that the by-catch of even a few individuals can prevent it from being restored, the MSC considered that it was not sufficiently proven that the Danish gillnet fisheries did not constitute a threat to the population.

There is therefore a need for documentation of the level of by-catch of harbor porpoises in the Danish gillnet fisheries.

Partners  
National Institute of Aquatic Resources, DTU Aqua (coordinator)
Danish Fishermen PO (coordinator)

Research area: Marine Living Resources
Research area: Ecosystem based Marine Management