“The scientific recommendations for determination of catch limitations are given on the assumption that the stocks will be managed evenly throughout the year, i.e. half of the annual allowable catch will be caught in the first half-year and the rest of the catch after spawning and summer increment in the second half-year,” Liivika Näks, Chief Specialist of the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of the Environment said. “When the pike perch catch of the first half-year is significantly higher than half of the annual quota, it decreases the stock increment possibilities and the second half-year catch would be inadvisable from the viewpoint of stock protection, or would take place on the account of the next year’s catch,” she noted. “In order to preserve sustainable spawning stock it is necessary to limit large-meshed net fishing this year, because this is the means for catching most of the pike perch.” As at the end of February, 323 tons of pike perch had been caught from lakes Peipus, Pskov and Lämmijärv, which is approximately 54% of the 2011 quota. Management of the pike perch stock of Lake Peipus was also discussed at the meeting in the Ministry of the Environment that took place on 17 February 2011 and participated in by representatives of the Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, the Environmental Inspectorate, Estonian Marine Institute of the University of Tartu and the fishermen organisations of lakes Peipus, Pskov and Lämmijärv. It was decided that in order to protect the pike perch stocks restrictions should be implemented in the first half of this year on fishing with large-meshed nets. |
