Order of the Minister for the Environment of 15.05.2013 No 491

Temporary closure of trawl fishing in
in 2013
in the Gulf of Livi in the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Latvia
The order was issued on the basis of paragraph 19(3)š of the Law on fishing, on the basis of Decision No 4.1-12/20 of the Minister for Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia of 9 May 2013 and Regulation No 2371/2002 of the Council of Europe (EC) of 20 December 2002 and the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the Republic of Latvia on mutual relations in fisheries matters,
.
Scientists' proposal requires a ban on fishing with trawl nets in marine areas through which straddling trawls on the high seas migrate to the territories in the Gulf of Livi and the high seas in order to protect the spawning trawls. Since the main spawning habitats of the herring are located in the north of the Gulf of Livi, the prohibition on trawling in Estonian waters has been established by order of the Minister for the Environment from 30 April to 29 May. By decision of the Minister for Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia, trawling shall be prohibited in the territorial and internal waters and in the exclusive economic zone of Latvia from 9 May to 17 June 2013. Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of the Council of Europe of 20 December 2002, Member States may take measures for the conservation and management of fishery resources in waters under their sovereignty or jurisdiction which apply only to fishing vessels flying the flag of the Member State concerned and registered in the Community. Under the Fisheries Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the Republic of Latvia, Estonia has the obligation to impose restrictions on vessels flying its flag in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Latvia and in the EU common fisheries zone (CFZ).

The prohibition on fishing for Räime to protect pre-spawning cones is essential in order to protect not only the herring in the Gulf of Livi (throat snap) but also the offshore herring that is coming to the spawning of the Gulf of Livi and whose stocks are in a state of decline. Scientists estimate that the spawning herring is a more dense cone than usual, and trawling during this period can cause significant damage to the spawning stock. Trawling may also seriously interfere with the movement of pre-spawning cones to the area of the tissue and the course of normal spawning in the
.
On the basis of the above

I went on:

1. Prohibit vessels flying the flag of the Republic of Estonia from fishing with trawls in the Gulf of Livi in the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Latvia from 19 May to 17 June 2013.

2. 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-Rosimannus


Address: Ministry of Agriculture
Eesti Kalapüügiühistu

of the Estonian Association of professional fishermenEstonian trawling Association
Estonian fishermen's Association
Estonian Kalalit
Eesti Kalapüüdjate Ühing

of the Gulf of Livi Fisheries AssemblyEnvironmental Inspectorate for