Total marine fisheries extractions by country in the Baltic Sea

Catch (t x 10³)
Thousands
Thousands
Total marine fisheries extractions by country in the Baltic Sea: 1950-present, Rossing, Booth and Zeller 237
The recreational catches of cod were relatively low, except possibly during the 1990s when the total
estimated decadal recreational catch was around 32,600 t (Appendix Table A2, Appendix Table B5).
According to the available information, which does not include the cod-boom 1980‘s, the historically
highest annual recreational catch of cod was around 3,600 t in 1996 (Figure 2b).
Considering total reconstructed catches of cod in contrast to ICES landings statistics, estimated
reconstructed catch was 42% larger than ICES landings statistics of cod for 1950-2007. Over the last five
years (2003-2007), the reconstructed catches of cod were about 40% higher than ICES landings statistics
(Figure 2b, Appendix Table A2).
Herring
Reported landings of herring by Sweden were stable during the 1950s and the 1960s with average landings
of around 32,000 t∙year -1 (Figure 3a; Appendix Table A3). After the mid 1960s, reported landings
increased until 1980 and a peak of nearly 93,000 t. During the 1980s, landings declined rapidly to 36,400
tin 1987. Thereafter, landings increased and peaked during the 1990s when around 85,000 t∙year -1 was
reported, and after 2000 landings declined to about 61,000 t∙year -1 (Figure 3a). The last five years annual
reported landings of herring were on average 47,800 t∙year -1 (Figure 3a; Appendix Table A3).
ICES landings statistics were adjusted from 1990-
2007 by ICES stock assessment working group data,
resulting in a substantial decrease of reported
landings for herring in the 1990s of up to 50%
(Figure 3a). This resulted in a substantial data
adjustment for the 1990s, and is thought to be due to
misreported sprat catches and catches from outside
the Baltic Sea.
Prior to 1980, the unreported landings, discards, and
recreational catches of herring were relatively small
(averaging 3,600, 1,400, and 1,000 t∙year -1 ,
respectively, Figure 3b, Appendix Table A2). During
the 1980s and the 1990s, unreported landings of
between 7,000 and 21,800 t∙year -1 made up a
substantial proportion of the unaccounted herring
catches (Figure 3a). In recent years the unreported
herring landings were around 6,300 t∙year -1 .
The underwater discards increased from 1.2% in
1950, to 5.4% reported landings in 2007, due to the
increased use of trawl in the herring fishery from
1950 (24% trawl) to 2007 (98% trawl). Prior to 1980,
the average underwater discard was 1,400 t∙year -1 ,
during the 1980s it was 3,500 t∙year -1 , and during the
1990s it was 3,800 t∙year -1 (Figure 3b, Appendix
Table A3).
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1401950 b)
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Recreational
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
a)
Unreported
ICES landings statistics
Discards
Adjustments
ICES landings statistics + adjustments
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Year
Figure 3. Swedish herring landings in the Baltic Sea 1950-
2007: a) ICES landings statistics and adjustments; b)
Sweden‘s reconstructed herring catches in the Baltic Sea.
The estimated recreational catches of herring were small for the whole time period, with peak catches in
1994 of about 3,900 t∙year -1 . For the most recent period (2000-2007), recreational catches averaged
around 2,200 t∙year -1 (Figure 3b; Appendix Table A3).
The total reconstructed catches of herring were only about 13% larger than ICES landings statistics for
1950-2007 due to large negative adjustments. The total reconstructed herring catches were 23% larger
than ICES landings statistics + adjustments for 1950-2007, and for the most recent period (2003-2007),
likely total catches were, on average, 36% larger per year (Figure 3; Appendix Table A3).