Today the latest advice on 2011 TAC (Total Allowable Catches) for the cod in the Baltic Sea was published by ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Seas). Especially the eastern cod stock is showing a remarkable recovery, with spawning biomass (SSB) estimated at 294 000 tonnes. This has not been seen in the Baltic since the end of the 1980:s. A comment from Axel Wenblad, head of the Swedish Board of Fisheries, is that this shows the importance of management decisions, since environmental conditions for the cod have not been favorable in the last years. But decrease in quotas, respecting scientists advice and following a long-term management plan, fishing ban during spawning as well as serious actions taken against illegal fisheries have now given results.

The eastern Baltic cod stock was considered close to a total collapse just five years ago. In the middle of the 1980:s the estimated cod biomass (SSB) was above 700 000 tonnes.

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