Baltic cod is in crisis and it needs us to save it. Decades of overfishing coupled with pollution of its natural habitat have driven populations to an all-time low. What’s needed is decisive action to curb the  downward spiral and allow cod to recover.

Cod was the most important fish in the Baltic sea, both from an ecological and a economical perspective. It is the top predator in the Baltic ecosystem, regulating all species that fall below it and it fed a profitable fishery for centuries. But more than that, cod is part of Baltic culture. Whether it is a fish that families fished for or a favourite dish at Christmas, cod has been part of culture around the Baltic Sea. Right now, we stand to lose this important fish unless we act now to save it.

That is why we ask the European Commission and all member states to choose for the return of the cod when they decide on fishing opportunities for 2023 in October and:

• Advocate for setting fishing limits for cod in line with the best available science
• Deduct a sufficiently large precautionary buffer from the TAC to do justice to the ecosystem role of cod
• Request that any rebuilding measures for cod are accompanied by adequate monitoring and control measures that ensure uptake of measures can be verified 
   

We believe that this year will be a crucial year for Baltic cod as it might be the last chance for this iconic species.