Commercial fishing

After Estonia’s accession to the European Union, the local fisheries are regulated by the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which covers the use and protection of fishery resources, the structure and market organisation policy, and foreign policy on fisheries.

The latter also includes fisheries agreements with non-EU countries, and negotiations in international organisations.

The management of fisheries is divided between five bodies in Estonia – these authorities are the Ministry of Rural Affairs, the Agriculture and Food Board  , the Ministry of the Environment, the Environmental Board, and the Environmental Inspectorate.

  • The areas of the Ministry of Rural Affairs are the development of market organisation system, the award of structural supports and state aid, the management of aquaculture sector
  • The areas of  the Agriculture and Food Board are the development of commercial fishing (including issuing permits for commercial fishing, managing a national registry of fishing vessels and catch accounting).
  • The preparation and implementation of the Policy on the Protection and Use of Fishery Resources, including the reproduction of fish stocks and the protection and restoration of spawning grounds and habitats, are managed by the Ministry of the Environment. The Ministry of the Environment also provides permits for scientific research and special purpose fishing.
  • Recreational fishing card is provided and recreational fishing data are collected by the Environmental Board.
  • The monitoring of fishing activities is carried out by the Environmental Inspectorate belonging to the area of government of the Ministry of the Environment.

Last updated: 15.12.2020