The pike stock in the Baltic Sea has decreased in recent years and in an attempt to slow down the development before the Swedish Maritime Administration, HaV, tightened fishing rules on the coastal stretch from Uppsala County down to Kalmar County.
- It is due to a number of reasons, not only fishing, but also to seals, cormorants and large-scale environmental changes in the Baltic Sea, says Martin Rydgren, investigator at HaV, in a press release.
Long-term sustainable fishing
Creating protected spawning grounds has proven to be positive for the fish stock.
During trial fishing for pike, three times more fish were caught, compared to areas where fishing is allowed all year round.
- Together with the county administrative boards, we will continue the work of identifying spawning areas that are suitable for conservation, says Mats Svensson, head of the department for marine management at HaV.
Fishing prohibited
A total of 64 new and 28 adjusted protected areas will be introduced, of which 18 are in Östergötland.
In this case, all fishing is prohibited between 1 January and 15 July.
The decision applies from 1 April.