ICES CM 2008/O: Introduction and background

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1 ICES CM 2008/O:21 Current situation and possible ways of sustainable development of small-scale fishery in Estonian coastal sea T. Raid European Commission, Joint Research Centre. Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen, Maritime Affairs Unit- FISHREG, I Ispra (VA), Italy. Tel: A. Järvik Estonian Maritime Academy, Tallinn, Estonia & Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu, Mäealuse 10A, Tallinn EE-12618, Estonia. Tel: , fax: Fishery has been one of the most important economic activities for the inhabitants of the coastal villages in Estonia for centuries. However, since the mid of 1990s the efficiency of coastal fishery as well as the number of professional fishermen has declined significantly because the both, recent overexploitation of many local fish stocks and lack of the reasonable management strategy. This has resulted in serious social problems like high proportion of part-time employees among coastal habitants; decrease of local population and in overall survival capabilities of coastal communities. In an Estonian-Finnish INTERREG IIIA project was carried out and in 2008 some additional studies were performed using the bottom-up strategy (participatory governance) with the participation of the representatives from coastal communities with the aim to find the conceptual strategy of the development of Estonian coastal fishery. The SWOT analysis of outcome of the interviews with the professional fishermen by regions was performed. It was found that in principle, the sustainable small-scale fishery as well, as the survival of coastal villages can be possible when the integrated coastal area management strategy will be implemented and supported at the level of the Government, County Authorities and Municipalities. Keywords: Estonia, coastal fishery, sustainable development 1. Introduction and background. Numerous small bays and river estuaries as well as with more than thousand island s and islets split the Estonian Baltic Sea coastline, app. 3,700 km in length (Figure 1). The coastal sea is mostly shallow, with water salinity less than PSU. These natural conditions favor to the diverse fish communities, which include fresh- and brackish water as well as marine species. As a result, the fishery has historically been one of the most important ways of living in coastal regions. Up to the 20 th century fishing and, to a limited extent also primary fish processing like salting and smoking took place in coastal communities. As mainly self-made gill nets, fyke-nets and row/sailing boats were used, all or close to all inhabitants were mostly involved in fishery sector. Besides to the fishery, particularly in the Western Estonia and on islands, the livestock breeding on seashores was widespread. The combination of fisheries and livestock breeding, lasting for centuries, produced the unique semi- natural 1

2 environments and architectural heritage (for instance coastal and woodland meadows), which have became of high importance in EU Natura policy. With the technological developments of early 20 th century the fish processing as well the gear manufacturing began to concentrate into a number of specialized factories, while the row and sailing boats were equipped with engines. As a result, the number of employees started to decrease slowly in fishery sector. However, approximately 10,000-12,000 coastal inhabitants still fully or partly involved in fisheries sector, mainly as inshore fishermen were counted before the World War II (Pettai, 1991). Figure 1. The map of Estonian coastal sea During post -WW II period the coastal fishery was changed from small-cooperatives to large fishery collective farms, involved in all sections of fishery (also in fish processing, boat- and shipbuilding etc.). Simultaneously the concentration of fisheries sector into a few larger settlements occurred while the number of fishermen in smaller villages decreased. Despite of that, the role of coastal fishery in coastal villages in most areas of Western Estonia was still important and the historically settled peculiar coastal landscapes were well preserved. On the other hand, in the Gulf of Finland the strong restrictions on coastal fishery were implemented and the fish landing places and small fishing ports were closed in most of the villages, what lead to the destruction of centuries-long coastal communities. In a number of islands of the Gulf of Finland, the civil population was forced to leave. Loss of civil population and traditional economical activities (fishery, agriculture), resulted in complete destruction not only coastal fisheries communities but also of the historical landscapes. The total number of coastal professional fishermen in Estonia remained at the level of about 1,000 1,200 up to 1990s. (Anon., 1987) After re-establishing independency in the early1990s, the restrictions for going out to the sea in Estonia were abolished and the new legislation gave the fishing rights for anybody 2

3 having property at seacoast.. Furthermore, the opening of Western European fish market and relatively a high price offered for the filets of pikeperch Stizostedion lucioperca (L.), perch Perca fluviatilis (L.) but also for eel Anguilla anguilla (L.) were incentive to increase the fishing effort. As result, the number of semi-professional coastal fishermen increased rapidly and then decreased to by 1996 (Figure 2). At the same time, the control over coastal fishery was clearly not at the sufficient level and the actual catches of early 1990s remains virtually unknown (Anon., 2005; Kangur, 2006; Vetemaa et al., 2006). In 1996 the new Estonian Fishery Act was accepted. In this Act, the number of people having rights to fish with commercial gears was limited and including only the professional fishermen and habitants of coastal zone (RT, 1995). The fishery statistics became more adequate showing that the annual catches of Estonian coastal fishery fluctuated from 8 to 15 thousand tons, depending mainly on Baltic herring Clupea harengus (L.) catches with pound nets giving % of total catch (Figures 2 and 4). Annual catches, tonnes Number of professional and semi-professional fishermen Year Figure 2. Total annual catches of Estonian coastal sea and the number of full- and parttime professional fishermen The insufficient regulation of the coastal fishery at the end of 1980s and beginning of 1990s in conjunction with virtually unlimited (and uncontrolled) export market for perch and pikeperch resulted in severe overexploitation of almost all local coastal fish stocks. Additionally, the changes in natural conditions (eutrophication of coastal zone in s, rapid increase in abundance of cormorants as well as seals (since 1990s), have had negative impacts of fish stocks in Estonian coastal sea (Eschbaum et al., 2003; Vetemaa, et al., 2006). The combination of unfavorable environmental conditions and overexploitation in early 1990s the resources of commercial coastal fishery dropped significantly and as result, the incomes from fishery of coastal fishermen suffered substantially. The threat on survival of coastal professional fishery as such became particularly acute for Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea region being formerly one of the most important areas of coastal fishery in Estonia with catches above 5000 t (Figure 4; Saat, 2008). 3

4 Figure 3. The Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea (Source: Ministry of Environmentof Estonia) Total catches, tonnes Catches without herring, tonnes Year Figure 4. The annual catches in Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea. Columns including Baltic herring and solid line without herring in (data from Saat, 2008) 4

5 This problem became even more acute after the accession of Estonia to EU in 2004 and the adoption of principles of Common Fisheries Policy when the feasibility of possible financial support to coastal fishery in Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea needed to be evaluated. In order to explore if and which measures should be taken in order to reverse the described processes, March 2006 the EU INTERREG IIIA Finnish-Estonian project (Anon., 2008), was launched for the period The Estonian part of the project was co-financed by EBRD (75 %), Estonian Ministry of Internal Affairs (10 %) and Estonian Maritime Academy (15 %) and from Finnish side the Uusikaupunki District. The main contracting institutions were the Centre for Marine Research and Education at the University of Turku (Finland) and the Estonian Maritime Academy. From Estonia, two nonprofit organizations: the Estonian Islands Assembly and Saaremaa Countryside participated. Mr. Reima Helminen from the Turku University was acting as the Chief Coordinator of the project. Three counties- Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and Läänemaa, with 5, 5 and 8 local municipalities respectively were covered by the project. This presentation is focused to the main outcome of the project. 2. Description of the project 2.1. Goals The main goals of the project were: Propose the plan for development of professional fishery Evaluate the perspectives of fish processing and trading Elucidate the needs for professional education among fishermen Assess the current state and perspectives of fishing tourism Evaluate the possibilities for sustainable management of local fish stocks Propose the ways of integrated development of coastal zone The following target groups were aimed: Professional fishermen Fish processing enterprises Aquaculture enterprises Municipalities and county authorities Tourism enterprises Nature conservation institutions, including the Natura managers 2.2. Methods used The general framework of the project is described in the Figure 5. Methodologically the project based on the bottom-up strategy involving as wide as possible representation from the local communities. For most of the main goals mentioned above, one or more working groups were established, consisting of the representatives of local inhabitants and project performers. 5

6 In total, 11 workshops, 1-3 by each working groups were held. Additionally, interviewing of local fishermen was conducted on the basis of questionnaire of 20 questions. Of 180 questionnaires distributed, 72 responses were obtained. During the project period, the performers participated in several professional fishermen meetings in all the three counties surrounded in the Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea area. The working groups performed the data analysis. Finally the SWOT analyzes (Table 1) were performed for all the main goals in order to pinpoint the critical factors of poor situation and to envisage the ways for improvement. Development plans of counties and local community level Fisheries statistics from State Statistical Board 1. Data collection; formation of working groups (WG) Questioning of professional and semiprofessional fishermen Personal consultations, telephone interviews, participation at fishermen s meetings Consultations with associated institutions (Ministry of Agriculture, municipalities ) 2. Data evaluation Consultations within WG-s; WG meetings outcome Consultations with associated institutions (Ministry of Agriculture, municipalities ) 3. SWOT analysis Consultations within WG-s; WG meeting s outcome Consultations with associated institutions (Ministry of Agriculture, municipalities ) 4. Compilation of strategies for different scenarios Consultations within WG-s; WG meetings outcome 5. Report compilation Final meeting of all WGs and institutions involved (NGOs etc) Figure 5. General framework of the project 6

7 Table 1.The short overview of the main aspects of SWOT analysis Strengths Weaknesses Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea (over2 200 km 2 ) with spitted coastline, shallow brackish water and with rich bottom communities offer excellent conditions for development diverse and abundant fish fauna; The quality of environment of Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea is relatively good due to absence of major pollution sources, and low population. The area is protected as the EU Natura site; Historically developed unique seminatural environments and architectural heritage have preserved in most of the area; Long traditions of fishing and professional knowledge s of fishermen have been historically transmitted from one generation to another ; There are implemented an adequate system of licensing of coastal fishermen in Estonia; Centuries-long history has resulted in the optimal localization of small fishing harbors and landing sites with no need for long crossings with boats; Many commercial fish species (pikeperch, perch, eel, whitefish etc.) of the region have good market both, in Estonia and abroad; The reasonable logistics for fish transport to market exists; The traditional system of professional education at the vocational, sub professional and college levels exists; There is a fully developed system of fisheries investigations and good international co-operation in fisheries science in Estonia; The availability of the financing from EU Fisheries Fund (EFF) in of up to 85, 4 mil. Euros Since the 2006 Estonia has its own fisheries strategy formulating, inter The stocks of main commercial fishes (perch, pikeperch, pike, whitefish) have been in depression since the mid -1990s because the over-fishing and drastic increase of the abundance of predators cormorants and seals; Some spawning areas of fresh- and brackish water species were not recovered yet from effect of eutrophication caused intensive agriculture in s; The number of professional fishermen exceeds the optimum for current fish resources available; Coastal fishery has often seasonal character and can t give year-round income for fishermen; The average age of coastal fishermen has increased recently since the non-competitive incomes of fishermen do not attract younger people; The most of fishing boats originate from Soviet era equipped with wasteful and high environmental risk engines; The selectivity of the traps and fykenets is not at the level needed, and the by-catches of undersized fish is occasionally very high; There are almost no active fish processing facilities in region left; The fishing ports and landing places have not equipped with ice-machines, freezing and lifter mechanisms, which cause the high risk that landed fish become spoilt; Due to limited demand on local markets and the absence of possibilities for preservation of fish on the spot the problem with selling of landed fish often arise, particularly on islands ; The fishermen are often not secured from the dictate of first-buyers of fish and the prices paid to fishermen is extremely low compared to those in 7

8 alia, the principles of the development of coastal fishery. fish markets on mainland; The co-operation of the coastal fishermen are not at the appropriate level; The coastal fishermen often face difficulties in getting bank loans, and private investors are reluctant to investing fishing harbors; Fishing as well as the nature tourism in the region are not widely developed yet; Opportunities Regulation of fishing effort in order to achieve the balance between effort and available resource and increasing thus the economical payback of coastal fishery The financial and political support for renovation of a number of key local fishing ports and fish processing facilities to enhance the economical activities and employment rate. The establishing of the system supporting the small-scale fish processing at the state and municipality level, incl. the using of the EFF co-financing; The modernization of the fishing boats, in particular the equipment of them with present-days engines, due regard that the summary fishing capacity in the region should not be increase; The establishing of system for supporting the recruitment to the fishery sector; The establishing of the State system of training of coastal fishermen and small-scale fish processing; The implementation of fishing methods and gears of higher selectivity; The implementation of the seal-proof fishing gears; The establishing of the State Threats Deterioration of the ecological situation in Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea, including the threat of potential navigation disasters, pollution by river inflow etc. The continuous lack of investments in fishery sector in region jeopardizes the recruitment of younger generations into coastal fishery; Further strengthening of health security demands on fish products, in the conditions of lacking adequate financial support would seriously damage the development of fish processing industry in the region; The further increase of the abundance of cormorants and seals without adequate mitigation measures can be envisaged in the region; The absence of small fishing ports owned by the municipalities and/or non-profit organizations does not allow applying for available funding from EFF. The drastic increasing the prices of oil products; Substantial diminishing of fishing possibilities due to implementation of new extraordinary environment protection measures in region; Continuous dictate of first-buyers when fishermen can t better cooperate in future; Worsening of the employment 8

9 program of regulating the abundance of cormorants; The state/municipal regulation of the ownership of fishing ports, i.e. 1-2 small fishing ports in every municipalities should be operated as non-private would allow to apply for available funding from EFF; Increasing the involvement of local municipal authorities in the coastal fishery (including fish processing and fishing tourism) and increasing their role in fishery regulation (quota distribution etc.); situation as a result economical depression in other sectors as agriculture, forestry and the tourism, would force the inhabitants leave the area, causing degradation of local historical heritages but also several Natura objects and habitats. The restoration of fish spawning grounds and it is possible as well, as the fish stocking (whitefish, pikeperch, perch); The establishing of the positions of the fishery consultants in counties; Supporting at the State and municipality level the maintaining and development of historical-architectural heritages in coastal villages. (Including EU Natura objects and habitats) Results and Discussion The poor state of fish stocks has been recently the fundamental problem in coastal fishery of Western-Estonian archipelago area as the reflected on the dramatic downhill of commercial catches since the 1990s, when the total catch of other fish that herring dropped 3-4-fold (Figure 4). The combination of several unfavorable factors can be blamed for that. However, the main reason has been virtually uncontrolled fishing in late 1980s- early 1990s after the coastal habitants was granted with the fishing licenses. In the conditions of generally poor economical situation, the opening of western market for fish filets appeared to be highly incentive to start fishing business and the number of fishers soared Unfortunately, at the same time several fishing restrictions were eased, particularly in the Matsalu Bay, known as the main spawning area for several fish species. As a result the resources of valuable species of that bay (whitefish, pike, eel, pikeperch, several cyprinids and particularly perch) collapsed (Vetemaa et al., 2002; Saat, 2008). Even at present, when commercial catches have fallen close to the historically low level, and the situation where control and enforcement has remarkably improved, the excess fishing effort (in gillnet fishery) seems to hampering the recovery of a number of cyprinid species in the area. 9

10 Other factors, having the negative effect on fishery and its competiveness with other sectors can be connected to the ecosystem changes. From those the effect of cormorants should be distinguished. The number of nesting pairs of cormorants has dramatically increased, although they were virtually absent up to the end of 1980s. So, if, app nesting pairs were counted in the area in 1990s, 40,000 50,000 pairs have been encountered in the s (Eschbaum et al., 2003). Due to shallow water, cormorants are able to reach all water column in the area. According to the pilot study, performed in the early s, the cormorants catch in the area annually more fish than professional, recreational fishermen and poachers together (Eschbaum & Veber, 2002). The number of Grey seals also has increased in past decades significantly as well (Ivar Jüssi, pers. comm.). The above means that the observed changes in ecosystem have essentially supported to the total mortality of fish stocks in the area. The fast decrease can be observed also in herring catches (Figure 6). In this case, however the substantial decrease in fishing effort has been at least one of the factors affecting the catches. If in 1970s 1980s, app. 200 herring pound nets were deployed in the area catching % of annual herring catches shown in Figures 2 and 4 (Anon., 2007). Sum Sd 29, Sd 32, t Sd 28, Total, t 0 Year Figure 6. Herring catches in Estonian coastal fishery by ICES sub-divisions, t. The Subdivision 29 represents the catches from the Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea. The collapse of fish stocks has its obvious social effects. So, according to the responses from the interviews with fishers presently only 10 % of coastal fishermen are having main income from fishing, whereas more than 50 % of recipients declared the income from fishery less than 10 % (Figure 7). In this case, the using pound nets and large fyke nets as the most expensive gears, used for herring and gar-pike fishery during spawning season became negligible and the recently observed increase in Baltic herring stock and 10

11 quota has not been reflected in annual herring catches in Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea. Consequently the coastal fishery has lost one of its main income sources in many areas. 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Saaremaa Hiiumaa Läänemaa 0% <10% 10-30% 30-50% 50-75% 75-90% > 90% N/A Figure 7. interviews). Share of fishery on total income of professional coastal fishers (from Despite of generally poor situation with the 77 % of interviewed fishers from Saaremaa, 94 % from Hiiumaa and 88 % from Läänemaa counties are planning carry on as professional (or semi-professional), fishermen (Figure 8). The main reason for majority of them is that professional fishing has been the traditional activity for centuries in this region and it was an essential part of way of life for their ancestors and should be the same for future generations. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Saaremaa Hiiumaa Läänemaa Continue as a professional fisher Continue as a nonprofessioanl fisher Retire and continue as a nonprofessioanl fisher Resigne from fishery N/A Figure 8. Future expectations of fishers (from interviews with fishers). 11

12 At the same time, however, they admit that the other income sources should be found in order to subsist in future. The results of the interviews with fishermen indicate that, depending on county, 25-48% of replied fishers see the fishing tourism as one of the main sources for possible additional income % of interviewees also found that small-scale fish processing as a family business might be profitable as well (Figure 9). Consequently, the developing of fishing (and farm) tourism and small-scale fish processing, accompanied by the renovation of fishing ports may result that the incomes of local permanent habitants from fishery sector would increase to level, which would allow to slow down or even reverse the current process of leaving of people from coastal villages to mainland and cities. The traditional agricultural activities are seen as one of the income source by 10-30% of fishers (Figure 9). 60% 50% 40% Saaremaa 30% Hiiumaa 20% Läänemaa 10% 0% Fishing tourism Small scale fish processing (family enterprises) Agriculture Other N/A Figure 9. Expected sources of additional income (from interviews with fishers). The increase in landings, fishing tourism as well as profitability of mentioned small-scale fish processing industry, however, only can be achieved in the conditions of fair state of fish stocks. The stocks of high-value species, and those, potentially attractive for game fishing deserve here particular attention. In that context, pike, pike-perch, perch and whitefish could serve as such target species, given that the environment of the Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea provides them fair reproduction and propagation conditions. However, given the present poor state of fish stocks, the positive effects cannot be expected without additional efforts on local but also on state level. The following measure can be outlined as fist steps towards initiating the process Mapping of spawning grounds of valuable fish species in order to protect them from against Restocking of valuable fish species (pike) Decrease of cormorant population Strengthen fisheries control and enforcement agencies in the region Improvement of selectivity of coastal fishing. 12

13 The implementing of measures in fisheries regulation and strengthening the enforcement might allow the catches and incomes of coastal fishers to increase again. However, the catches would probably never reach the level of years before the 1990s e.g. due to lower market demand (particularly that of herring) as well as due to ecosystem changes. Conclusions The following main conclusions can be made from the project: o Recently introduced several fishing restriction measures (including long time total bans, limiting of gears etc.) did not yet cause a significant recovery of the overexploited fish stocks (pike perch, perch, pike); o The drastic decrease of the fish landings within the whole Western- Estonian Archipelago Sea area effected seriously on income of professional fishermen from fishing dropped significantly, resulting leaving of inhabitants of coastal communities; o Despite of that, fishery is will remain to be one of the most important income sources for the coastal village inhabitants in the Western- Estonian Archipelago area. However, fishing itself without supplementary sources of income for local habitants would not be enough to supporting the sustainable development of coastal communities ; o In that respect fishing tourism and small-scale fish processing in local fishing harbors as perspective additional income sources for coastal inhabitants should be considered; o In order to preserve the Natura sites within the region (coastal meadows, juniper woods etc.) continuation of traditional complex human activities is vital; o The integrated coastal area management strategy can be successful only when fully implemented and endorsed (politically and financially) on state, county and municipality level. Acknowledgements We wish to thank the key participants of the project Ms. E. Viira, Ms. R. Kokovkin and Mr. J-V. Sadul for the highly devoted work, as well as Ms. E. Külmallik from the Ministry of Agriculture of Estonia and the fishermen of the Western-Estonian Archipelago for their kind support. 13

14 References Anon., Eesti kalurikolhooside ja kalurikolhoosidevaheliste ettevõtete töötulemuste põhinäitajad 1986 aastal. Tallinn, lk. Anon., Estonian Fisheries Act. RT I 1995, 80, Anon.,2005. Rannapüügi osakaal püügikoormuses. Helmes AS. Anon., Plan for Sustainable Development of Fishery in the Western-Estonian Archipelago Sea Area. Proceedings of Estonian Maritime Academy No 6: Kangur, K Tööhõive Eesti kalandussektoris. Eesti Maaülikooli Põllumajandus- ja keskkonnainstituut. (K. Kangur, eds.), Eschbaum, R., Veber, T., Vetemaa, M. & Saat, T Do cormorants and fishermen compete for fish resources in the Väinameri (eastern Baltic) area. In: Cowx, I. (ed), Interactions between fish and birds: implications for management. Oxford: Fishing News Books, Blackwell Science, pp Eschbaum, R. & Veber, T Kormoranide mõju Väinamere kalavarule. Raamatus: Saat, T. (toimetaja), Väinamere kalastik ja kalandus. Tartu, Tartu Ülikooli Kirjastus, lk Pettai, E Rannaküla tuleviku probleemidest. Eesti Kalandus No 7. Lk Saat, T Väinamere kalastik ja selle muutused. Eesti Meraakadeemia Toimetised N0 6. Lisa 1:51-76 Vetemaa, M., Eero, M., Järv, L., Saat, T Fishes and fisheries of the Väinameri.Estonian fishery (ed. T. Saat). Tartu Ülikool; Vetemaa, M., Eschbaum. E., Saat, T The transition from the Soviet system to a market economy as a cause of instability in the Estonian coastal fisheries sector. Marine Policy, v. 30 No 6: