Order of the Minister for the Environment of 20.04.2012 No 356



Temporary closure of trawl fisheries in

in the Gulf of Livi in 2012

The order shall be issued on the basis of paragraph 19(3) of the Law on fishing and paragraph 19(2) of the fishing Regulation.

Scientists from the Estonian Institute of Marine Affairs at the University of Tartu estimate that the situation of herring in the Gulf of Livi in the last decade was better than that in the North-East Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland, based both on acoustic studies and on an analytical assessment of stocks. The main reason is favourable natural spawning conditions, as well as the effectiveness of measures for the protection of the herring stock. By letter No 13 - 5.1/2539, received by the Ministry of the Environment on 3 April 2011, it was proposed to prohibit fishing with pelagic trawls in marine areas through which straddling trawls on the high seas move to territories in the Gulf of Livi and in the high seas for the protection of pre-spawning trawls.

In accordance with paragraph 19(3) of the Law on fishing, and on the basis of a proposal from scientists from the Estonian Maritime Institute of the University of Tartu, I hereby decide:

1. Prohibit fishing with trawl nets in the Gulf of Livi in the territorial and inland waters of Estonia from 25 April to 24 May 2012

2. Prohibit fishing with trawl nets in the Gulf of Livi in the exclusive economic zone of Latvia from 12 May to 10 June 2012

3. The restriction referred to in point 2 applies to fishing by vessels flying the flag of the Republic of Estonia in
.
4. A decree to be published in the official publication Ametlikud Teadaanded and on the internet on the website of the Ministry of the Environment
.

(signed digitally)


Keit Pentus





Send: Ministry of Agriculture; Eesti Kalapüügiühistu; Estonian professional fishermen's Association; Estonian trawling association; Federation of Estonian fishermen; Estonian Kalalit; Eesti Kalapüüdjate Ühing;
of the Gulf of Livi Fisheries Assembly