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Time 45 minutes45 minutes
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Fish

There are many species of fish. However, not all of them can inhabit the Baltic Sea. It is worth learning to distinguish typical Baltic species, because they are the most important resource of our native sea. They are the ones that, while eating smaller organisms, are also food for larger animals and humans. We may not be aware, but this is a very important food chain. The survival of marine fish is vital to the lives of the other animals in the chain and is crucial to humans. It is worth learning more about this topic.

Food chain of the Baltic Sea

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Food chain

Food chain
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Food chain

The essence of the Baltic food chain lies in the fact that all of its elements are essential for maintaining balance. In a nutshell - small plant organisms floating in the depths of the sea feed on light and bacteria. At the same time they are food for microscopic animal organisms floating in the water.

These in turn are eaten by smaller fish, themselves providing food for larger fish. Fish are food for marine mammals, such as the gray seal or porpoise, as well as other animals, like birds and humans. 

Food chain
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Why should Baltic fish be protected?

Those that can survive in more salty and less oxygenated water live at the bottom and those that can live in less salinity, but need higher temperatures and more oxygen, live higher up. As the inflow of salty, oxygenated water from the North Sea into the Baltic Sea becomes less frequent due to climate change, the number of microorganisms providing food for the fish is steadily decreasing. If, in this difficult period for the Baltic organisms, we additionally overfish, some species may become completely extinct. As a result, species that eat these fish will also become extinct. Let us not forget that humans are also among them. 

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Reducing the carbon footprint

At the same time, from the ecological point of view, it is better to choose local (i.e. Baltic) fish than those that must be transported over a long distance, e.g. from the Atlantic Ocean to Poland. Such a choice helps to keep the environment in better shape. We save the fuel necessary for transportation and the energy needed to provide cooling conditions. 

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Local is better

With local produce, less pollution goes into the atmosphere and fewer food preservatives get into our bodies because we choose fresh fish.

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

How do you balance fish conservation and fishing?

If we choose fish for dinner, let's choose the local Baltic fish. In order to do so, we will learn how to recognize them later during the lesson. 
In order to take care of the sustainable development of the Baltic species, we should remember about the conservation periods, during which it is not allowed to fish for particular species to allow them to recover. Let's start with learning about the fish that live in the Baltic Sea.
 

How do you balance fish conservation and fishing?

Types of Baltic fish

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Fish of the Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is home to many species of fish. There are fish that can live in brackish sea and also those that find their way well in outlets of rivers flowing into the Baltic - where fresh water mixes with salt water. In this respect we distinguish species of fish that are typically marine, diadromous and freshwater. 

Fish of the Baltic Sea
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Saltwater fish

Saltwater fish

The saltier the water,
the bigger the fish live in it

Species of fish that like salt water live in seas and oceans. We call them marine fish. In Poland they can be found in the Baltic Sea. They are most often caught with nets by fishermen - on a large scale for food purposes. The most popular saltwater species, living in the Baltic Sea, include: cod, belon, sandeel, Baltic herring, whiting, sprat, plaice, common flounder, turbot.

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Baltic cod – Gadus morhua callarias

Body length 40-70 cm; has three more dorsal fins in addition to the caudal, pectoral, ventral and anal fins.

A subspecies of the Atlantic cod (which lives in much saltier ocean waters) is the Baltic cod. The Baltic one, however, is smaller than the Atlantic one. What they have in common is that they need very salty water to breed. In order for the female to spawn, she migrates towards Gotland, Bornholm and Gdańsk, where the conditions in the depths are suitable. 

The shape of the cod's body resembles a spindle. It is covered with fine scales. The lateral line is distinct and there are dots above it. The sides are lighter than the back and the underside is almost white. It has a single whisker on its chin. It is a predator, feeding on other fish and crustaceans. It lives up to 17 years.

.
Baltic cod – Gadus morhua callarias
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Common flounder – Platichthys flesus

Body length 30-35 cm, it is grey-green in colour with red spots on one side. 

In Baltic fryeries it is mistakenly called flounder. However, flounder is a common name for various fish from the flounder family, which have a similar shape. The correct name of this fish is Common Flounder. It is a flat fish, inhabiting the bottom at the depth of up to 100 metres. It has two eyes usually set on the right side of the body. When it rests on the bottom, its eyes, located at the top, make it easier to observe the depths of the sea. Its body is covered with spots on the top. Its scales are small. The dorsal fin extends from the head to the tip of the caudal fin. It lives close to shore, where it prefers muddy estuaries, and breeds about 300 km from land. It feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as crustaceans or mussels and smaller fish. It lives up to 15 years.

.
Common flounder – Platichthys flesus
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Baltic herring – Clupea harengus membras

It grows to an average of about 25 cm, with silvery scales of elongated shape.

Baltic herring is the smallest of the oceanic herring varieties. Its head has no scales and its eyes are relatively large. The shape is spindly, the body slender, covered with silvery scales. It swims in shoals at depths of up to 250 metres, although it breeds in the shallows. Feeds on fish larvae and crustaceans. It lives up to 25 years, but usually around 6-7 years.

.
Baltic herring – Clupea harengus membras
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Baltic sprat – Sprattus sprattus balticus

Body length 10 to 14  cm; body is covered with silver scales and the back is coloured blue.

A small fish, about 10 cm long. It has large eyes. The body is elongated in shape with a silvery colour. The back is darker than the underside. It has no lateral line. Sprat feeds on plankton. It lives up to 6 years.

.
Baltic sprat – Sprattus sprattus balticus
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Turbot – Scophthalmus maximus

The length of the turbot in the Baltic Sea reaches about 50 cm. The body shape is almost circular and flattened. The eye side is grey, with black  spots covering its entire surface.

Turbot is a large, circular and flat fish. Juveniles have eyes on both sides of the body, and, as they mature (when they measure over 25 mm), the right eye moves to the left side of the body. The turbot's scales are spotted and dark brown in colour. This fish lives on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, where it willingly buries itself in the mud. It lives at depths of 20 to 70 metres. It feeds on fish, crustaceans and molluscs living on the bottom. It lives up to 25 years. It is an endangered species.

.
Turbot – Scophthalmus maximus
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Garfish – Belone belone

Body length up to 90 cm and weight up to 1 kg.

.

Also called the stork of the Baltic Sea. Its eyes are large and its jaws are long and thin. It has an elongated body, flattened laterally. Its scales vary in colour from dark blue or dark green on the back, through silvery sides, to a pale underside. It lives in the top layers of water, in flocks. Thanks to its long body it feeds easily on crustaceans, molluscs and fish.

It lives up to 3 years.

Garfish – Belone belone
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Diadromous fish

Diadromous fish

Diadromous fish
can live in salt and fresh water

There are the also so-called diadromous fish - fish that do well in both fresh and salt water. Examples include salmon and eels. 

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Atlantic salmon - Salmo salar

Adult body length ca. 100-150 cm; silver-colored scales with a visible lateral stripe (lateral line) separating the dorsum from the underbelly; black spots on the dorsum. 

It is fusiformed with an outlined lateral line, above which spots can be seen. For males, the lower jaw is hook-shaped during the spawning season. Males are brighter than females, but usually in shades of olive-gray, green-olive, dark brown, yellow or red. They are found only in clear waters. Adults spend their lives in the deep sea, but breed in clear freshwater. They swim from the sea to fresh rivers where they spawn. Once matured, they swim back to the sea, where they stay until they reach reproductive age. Baltic salmon is an endangered species. Its fishing is limited. 

Atlantic salmon - Salmo salar
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Secrets of the Eels

Eels can travel thousands of miles to get from a tiny pond to a river and then travel thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean to spawn in the Sargasso Sea. They are very determined. They can even move across land. 

Secrets of the Eels
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Aquaculture

We can also divide fish into ones that have lived free in natural bodies of water since birth and those bred for food (in artificial or natural tanks). Although we prefer wild fish, we should remember that fish farming is necessary in order to obtain food. Almost 20% of fish production in the EU is possible thanks to aquaculture, i.e. fish cultivation for food.

Aquaculture
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Fish living in the wild

Fish living in the Baltic Sea enjoy free and unrestricted lives in their natural habitat. A major threat to their survival is overfishing, which means that some species are fished so much that their stocks cannot recover. To deal with this, legal regulations have been introduced which determine how big fish can be caught. In addition, conservation periods have been established, during which certain fish species may not be caught.

Fish living in the wild
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Conservation measures

Conservation measures

For the conservation of marine species, Polish law introduces conservation measurements that vary depending on the sea area and the length of the vessels. Examples of minimum sizes are:

  • vimba vimba – 30 cm, 
  • cod – 35 cm, 
  • european plaice – 25 cm, 
  • ide – 25 cm, 
  • common bream – 40 cm, 
  • zander – 45 cm, 
  • herring – 16 cm, 
  • common flounder – 25 cm, 
  • turbot – 30 cm, 
  • eel – 50 cm, 
  • salmon – 60 cm.
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Conservation periods

Conservation periods
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Closed seasons

There are periods during which catching fish is prohibited, including those living at medium depths. a) cod – from July 1 to August 31,
b) salmon and trout – from September 15 to November 15 in the stretch of water 4 NM from the shore.

Closed seasons
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Closed seasons

c) zander:
– from March 25 to May 10 in the area west of the meridian 16°40'00'' longitude east,
– from April 10 to May 31 in the area between the meridians 16°40'00'' and 19°21'00'' longitude east,
– from April 20 to June 10 in the area west of meridian 19°21'00'' longitude east,
d) Acipenser oxyrinchus – from January 1 to December 31,
e) eel – from November 1 to January 31,
f) Coregonus lavaretus – From January 1 to January 31 And from December 1 to December 31;

Closed seasons
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Total ban on commercial fishing

A total ban on fishing is in effect:

  • from 4th June to 31st August in Baltic sub-areas 25 and 26,
  • from 4th June to 31st July in Baltic sub-area 24

 

In order to fish commercially, a shipowner must have a fishing license and a special fishing permit that specifies the maximum number of fish or weight of a particular species that a fishing vessel may catch in a given year

Total ban on commercial fishing
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

To help the fish - certificates

To make sure you are buying sustainably caught fish, read the labels on the packages carefully. They often contain certificates. They indicate, for example, that the fish comes from sustainable fishing certified by the MSC. When you pay attention to the marine fish you buy in the store, you will see that not all fish from marine areas are certified. There are also certificates that inform us, that the fish comes from responsible fish farms that are ASC-certified. Not all farmed fish have it.

To help the fish - certificates
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

To help the fish - certificates

There are also a number of regional certification schemes that are awarded to fish caught in accordance with the law and rules, certifying fish from Alaska or Iceland. All certifications support the recovery of Baltic fish stocks and are intended to help buyers make a wise decision about whether to buy fish or not. Supporting producers who care about environmental standards also supports fishermen who catch fish in accordance with standards and, above all, protects fish.

To help the fish - certificates
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Occupation - fisherman

Fish are the main source of food and livelihood for over 800 million people around the world. Many Poles also make a living from fishing and fishing-related activities. Fishermen work on fishing boats. They are true sea people. They are, however, not usually independent, but work for larger companies, the so-called shipowners. A boat cannot go fishing without a captain, called a skipper. The skipper decides whether the boat should go out to fish. Usually the fishing starts early in the morning, before sunrise.

.
Occupation - fisherman
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Occupation - fisherman

After reaching the fishing grounds, nets are cast. Some of them are cast right at the bottom of the sea, some above the bottom and others just below the surface of water.

Occupation - fisherman
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Occupation - fisherman

There are also hook tools: 
Trolls - Encorporate the use of hooks in fishing. Often appear as single hooks or strings with multiple hooks attached. They can be fixed in one spot or dragged along the boat.

Occupation - fisherman
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Occupation - fisherman

Another way of fishing is towing a net behind the boat, in this case called a trawl. We distinguish between bottom trawls and pelagic trawls (for fishing in deep water). Fishing lasts from 24 hours to five days. After this time, the net is hauled back to the ship, the fish are removed from it and the net is stowed.  After fishing, the boat returns to the port, harbour or other unloading site.

In Władysławowo you can see
an exhibition on the fishing profession

Occupation - fisherman
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

We already know which fish species are Baltic. We also know the conservation periods.

We already know which fish species are Baltic. We also know the conservation periods.

At the Faculty of Food Sciences and Fisheries of West Pomeranian University of Technology,
Szczecin, an Ichthyological Museum has been established
containing one thousand exhibits of aquatic animals

But do we know the structure of fish and their habits? If not, we invite you to learn more about it. If you do, we invite you to the next lesson, in which you will learn about what good things you can find in Baltic fish.

Find out what good things can be found in fish.

Lesson 3
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Fish

There are many species of fish. However, not all of them can inhabit the Baltic Sea. It is worth learning to distinguish typical Baltic species, because they are the most important resource of our native sea. They are the ones that, while eating smaller organisms, are also food for larger animals and humans. We may not be aware, but this is a very important food chain. The survival of marine fish is vital to the lives of the other animals in the chain and is crucial to humans. It is worth learning more about this topic.

Food chain of the Baltic Sea

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Food chain

Food chain
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Food chain

The essence of the Baltic food chain lies in the fact that all of its elements are essential for maintaining balance. In a nutshell - small plant organisms floating in the depths of the sea feed on light and bacteria. At the same time they are food for microscopic animal organisms floating in the water.

These in turn are eaten by smaller fish, themselves providing food for larger fish. Fish are food for marine mammals, such as the gray seal or porpoise, as well as other animals, like birds and humans. 

Food chain
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Why should Baltic fish be protected?

Those that can survive in more salty and less oxygenated water live at the bottom and those that can live in less salinity, but need higher temperatures and more oxygen, live higher up. As the inflow of salty, oxygenated water from the North Sea into the Baltic Sea becomes less frequent due to climate change, the number of microorganisms providing food for the fish is steadily decreasing. If, in this difficult period for the Baltic organisms, we additionally overfish, some species may become completely extinct. As a result, species that eat these fish will also become extinct. Let us not forget that humans are also among them. 

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Reducing the carbon footprint

At the same time, from the ecological point of view, it is better to choose local (i.e. Baltic) fish than those that must be transported over a long distance, e.g. from the Atlantic Ocean to Poland. Such a choice helps to keep the environment in better shape. We save the fuel necessary for transportation and the energy needed to provide cooling conditions. 

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Local is better

With local produce, less pollution goes into the atmosphere and fewer food preservatives get into our bodies because we choose fresh fish.

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

How do you balance fish conservation and fishing?

If we choose fish for dinner, let's choose the local Baltic fish. In order to do so, we will learn how to recognize them later during the lesson. 
In order to take care of the sustainable development of the Baltic species, we should remember about the conservation periods, during which it is not allowed to fish for particular species to allow them to recover. Let's start with learning about the fish that live in the Baltic Sea.
 

How do you balance fish conservation and fishing?

Types of Baltic fish

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Fish of the Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is home to many species of fish. There are fish that can live in brackish sea and also those that find their way well in outlets of rivers flowing into the Baltic - where fresh water mixes with salt water. In this respect we distinguish species of fish that are typically marine, diadromous and freshwater. 

Fish of the Baltic Sea
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Saltwater fish

Saltwater fish

The saltier the water,
the bigger the fish live in it

Species of fish that like salt water live in seas and oceans. We call them marine fish. In Poland they can be found in the Baltic Sea. They are most often caught with nets by fishermen - on a large scale for food purposes. The most popular saltwater species, living in the Baltic Sea, include: cod, belon, sandeel, Baltic herring, whiting, sprat, plaice, common flounder, turbot.

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Baltic cod – Gadus morhua callarias

Body length 40-70 cm; has three more dorsal fins in addition to the caudal, pectoral, ventral and anal fins.

A subspecies of the Atlantic cod (which lives in much saltier ocean waters) is the Baltic cod. The Baltic one, however, is smaller than the Atlantic one. What they have in common is that they need very salty water to breed. In order for the female to spawn, she migrates towards Gotland, Bornholm and Gdańsk, where the conditions in the depths are suitable. 

The shape of the cod's body resembles a spindle. It is covered with fine scales. The lateral line is distinct and there are dots above it. The sides are lighter than the back and the underside is almost white. It has a single whisker on its chin. It is a predator, feeding on other fish and crustaceans. It lives up to 17 years.

.
Baltic cod – Gadus morhua callarias
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Common flounder – Platichthys flesus

Body length 30-35 cm, it is grey-green in colour with red spots on one side. 

In Baltic fryeries it is mistakenly called flounder. However, flounder is a common name for various fish from the flounder family, which have a similar shape. The correct name of this fish is Common Flounder. It is a flat fish, inhabiting the bottom at the depth of up to 100 metres. It has two eyes usually set on the right side of the body. When it rests on the bottom, its eyes, located at the top, make it easier to observe the depths of the sea. Its body is covered with spots on the top. Its scales are small. The dorsal fin extends from the head to the tip of the caudal fin. It lives close to shore, where it prefers muddy estuaries, and breeds about 300 km from land. It feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as crustaceans or mussels and smaller fish. It lives up to 15 years.

.
Common flounder – Platichthys flesus
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Baltic herring – Clupea harengus membras

It grows to an average of about 25 cm, with silvery scales of elongated shape.

Baltic herring is the smallest of the oceanic herring varieties. Its head has no scales and its eyes are relatively large. The shape is spindly, the body slender, covered with silvery scales. It swims in shoals at depths of up to 250 metres, although it breeds in the shallows. Feeds on fish larvae and crustaceans. It lives up to 25 years, but usually around 6-7 years.

.
Baltic herring – Clupea harengus membras
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Baltic sprat – Sprattus sprattus balticus

Body length 10 to 14  cm; body is covered with silver scales and the back is coloured blue.

A small fish, about 10 cm long. It has large eyes. The body is elongated in shape with a silvery colour. The back is darker than the underside. It has no lateral line. Sprat feeds on plankton. It lives up to 6 years.

.
Baltic sprat – Sprattus sprattus balticus
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Turbot – Scophthalmus maximus

The length of the turbot in the Baltic Sea reaches about 50 cm. The body shape is almost circular and flattened. The eye side is grey, with black  spots covering its entire surface.

Turbot is a large, circular and flat fish. Juveniles have eyes on both sides of the body, and, as they mature (when they measure over 25 mm), the right eye moves to the left side of the body. The turbot's scales are spotted and dark brown in colour. This fish lives on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, where it willingly buries itself in the mud. It lives at depths of 20 to 70 metres. It feeds on fish, crustaceans and molluscs living on the bottom. It lives up to 25 years. It is an endangered species.

.
Turbot – Scophthalmus maximus
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Garfish – Belone belone

Body length up to 90 cm and weight up to 1 kg.

.

Also called the stork of the Baltic Sea. Its eyes are large and its jaws are long and thin. It has an elongated body, flattened laterally. Its scales vary in colour from dark blue or dark green on the back, through silvery sides, to a pale underside. It lives in the top layers of water, in flocks. Thanks to its long body it feeds easily on crustaceans, molluscs and fish.

It lives up to 3 years.

Garfish – Belone belone
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Diadromous fish

Diadromous fish

Diadromous fish
can live in salt and fresh water

There are the also so-called diadromous fish - fish that do well in both fresh and salt water. Examples include salmon and eels. 

Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Atlantic salmon - Salmo salar

Adult body length ca. 100-150 cm; silver-colored scales with a visible lateral stripe (lateral line) separating the dorsum from the underbelly; black spots on the dorsum. 

It is fusiformed with an outlined lateral line, above which spots can be seen. For males, the lower jaw is hook-shaped during the spawning season. Males are brighter than females, but usually in shades of olive-gray, green-olive, dark brown, yellow or red. They are found only in clear waters. Adults spend their lives in the deep sea, but breed in clear freshwater. They swim from the sea to fresh rivers where they spawn. Once matured, they swim back to the sea, where they stay until they reach reproductive age. Baltic salmon is an endangered species. Its fishing is limited. 

Atlantic salmon - Salmo salar
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Secrets of the Eels

Eels can travel thousands of miles to get from a tiny pond to a river and then travel thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean to spawn in the Sargasso Sea. They are very determined. They can even move across land. 

Secrets of the Eels
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Aquaculture

We can also divide fish into ones that have lived free in natural bodies of water since birth and those bred for food (in artificial or natural tanks). Although we prefer wild fish, we should remember that fish farming is necessary in order to obtain food. Almost 20% of fish production in the EU is possible thanks to aquaculture, i.e. fish cultivation for food.

Aquaculture
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Fish living in the wild

Fish living in the Baltic Sea enjoy free and unrestricted lives in their natural habitat. A major threat to their survival is overfishing, which means that some species are fished so much that their stocks cannot recover. To deal with this, legal regulations have been introduced which determine how big fish can be caught. In addition, conservation periods have been established, during which certain fish species may not be caught.

Fish living in the wild
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Conservation measures

Conservation measures

For the conservation of marine species, Polish law introduces conservation measurements that vary depending on the sea area and the length of the vessels. Examples of minimum sizes are:

  • vimba vimba – 30 cm, 
  • cod – 35 cm, 
  • european plaice – 25 cm, 
  • ide – 25 cm, 
  • common bream – 40 cm, 
  • zander – 45 cm, 
  • herring – 16 cm, 
  • common flounder – 25 cm, 
  • turbot – 30 cm, 
  • eel – 50 cm, 
  • salmon – 60 cm.
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Conservation periods

Conservation periods
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Closed seasons

There are periods during which catching fish is prohibited, including those living at medium depths. a) cod – from July 1 to August 31,
b) salmon and trout – from September 15 to November 15 in the stretch of water 4 NM from the shore.

Closed seasons
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Closed seasons

c) zander:
– from March 25 to May 10 in the area west of the meridian 16°40'00'' longitude east,
– from April 10 to May 31 in the area between the meridians 16°40'00'' and 19°21'00'' longitude east,
– from April 20 to June 10 in the area west of meridian 19°21'00'' longitude east,
d) Acipenser oxyrinchus – from January 1 to December 31,
e) eel – from November 1 to January 31,
f) Coregonus lavaretus – From January 1 to January 31 And from December 1 to December 31;

Closed seasons
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Total ban on commercial fishing

A total ban on fishing is in effect:

  • from 4th June to 31st August in Baltic sub-areas 25 and 26,
  • from 4th June to 31st July in Baltic sub-area 24

 

In order to fish commercially, a shipowner must have a fishing license and a special fishing permit that specifies the maximum number of fish or weight of a particular species that a fishing vessel may catch in a given year

Total ban on commercial fishing
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

To help the fish - certificates

To make sure you are buying sustainably caught fish, read the labels on the packages carefully. They often contain certificates. They indicate, for example, that the fish comes from sustainable fishing certified by the MSC. When you pay attention to the marine fish you buy in the store, you will see that not all fish from marine areas are certified. There are also certificates that inform us, that the fish comes from responsible fish farms that are ASC-certified. Not all farmed fish have it.

To help the fish - certificates
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

To help the fish - certificates

There are also a number of regional certification schemes that are awarded to fish caught in accordance with the law and rules, certifying fish from Alaska or Iceland. All certifications support the recovery of Baltic fish stocks and are intended to help buyers make a wise decision about whether to buy fish or not. Supporting producers who care about environmental standards also supports fishermen who catch fish in accordance with standards and, above all, protects fish.

To help the fish - certificates
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Occupation - fisherman

Fish are the main source of food and livelihood for over 800 million people around the world. Many Poles also make a living from fishing and fishing-related activities. Fishermen work on fishing boats. They are true sea people. They are, however, not usually independent, but work for larger companies, the so-called shipowners. A boat cannot go fishing without a captain, called a skipper. The skipper decides whether the boat should go out to fish. Usually the fishing starts early in the morning, before sunrise.

.
Occupation - fisherman
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Occupation - fisherman

After reaching the fishing grounds, nets are cast. Some of them are cast right at the bottom of the sea, some above the bottom and others just below the surface of water.

Occupation - fisherman
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Occupation - fisherman

There are also hook tools: 
Trolls - Encorporate the use of hooks in fishing. Often appear as single hooks or strings with multiple hooks attached. They can be fixed in one spot or dragged along the boat.

Occupation - fisherman
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

Occupation - fisherman

Another way of fishing is towing a net behind the boat, in this case called a trawl. We distinguish between bottom trawls and pelagic trawls (for fishing in deep water). Fishing lasts from 24 hours to five days. After this time, the net is hauled back to the ship, the fish are removed from it and the net is stowed.  After fishing, the boat returns to the port, harbour or other unloading site.

In Władysławowo you can see
an exhibition on the fishing profession

Occupation - fisherman
Time 45 minutes45 minutes
EnlargeEnlarge

We already know which fish species are Baltic. We also know the conservation periods.

We already know which fish species are Baltic. We also know the conservation periods.

At the Faculty of Food Sciences and Fisheries of West Pomeranian University of Technology,
Szczecin, an Ichthyological Museum has been established
containing one thousand exhibits of aquatic animals

But do we know the structure of fish and their habits? If not, we invite you to learn more about it. If you do, we invite you to the next lesson, in which you will learn about what good things you can find in Baltic fish.

Find out what good things can be found in fish.

Lesson 3
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