New Estonian law to cap fish sales to 10 kilograms per person, hike fines
Starting January 10, 2026, Estonia will limit fish sales to ten kilograms per buyer and raise fines — long among the lowest in the EU.
The Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture has drawn up a bill to amend the Fishing Act and align Estonia with the EU's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
Under the bill, the sale limit to individuals without sales records would drop from 30 kilograms to ten. For Baltic salmon, the daily limit would be two fish.
In the bill's statement of purpose, the ministry noted the change will mostly affect coastal residents who buy directly from fishers, but because these buyers shop more frequently, a ten-kilo daily limit per person should not overly restrict access.
"The current limit was better suited to the needs of Estonians who buy fish in larger quantities seasonally," the ministry said, adding that inspectors have long viewed it as risky, as it allows fish to be moved undocumented.
The goal of the new cap is to reduce the amount of fish with unclear origins and better protect natural resources.
Violations of these rules will also be reclassified as serious offenses.
Under current EU rules, only one adipose fin-clipped Baltic salmon may be caught per day in the open Baltic Sea. Fishing at sea for European sturgeon and eel is banned.
The bill also requires fishers to report not just their catches but also the fish they release.
Stiffer fines ahead
The ministry's bill would sharply raise Estonia's fishing penalties, long criticized by the European Commission. The Commission's inquiry into the matter won't escalate into formal infringement proceedings if the issues are addressed.
Individuals could be fined up to €50,000 for serious violations, while businesses could face up to €400,000 or five times the illegal profit. Repeat violations within three years could bring penalties of up to €100,000 for individuals and €800,000 for businesses, or up to eight times the profit gained.
A higher ceiling is needed for distant-water fishing (DWF), where trips can last up to four months and the value of illegal catches may reach hundreds of thousands of euros.
Recreational fishers who fail to report data could be fined up to 100 units.
Other changes
According to the ministry, just over 500 businesses sell fish only to individuals, and about 2,000 metric tons are sold annually without sales records.
To manage reporting, the kalaluba.ee system will be upgraded at an estimated cost of €40,000.
Starting January 10, all fishing vessels 12 meters or longer must be tracked at sea. The rule will expand to vessels 9–12 meters in length in 2027 and to all vessels by 2030.
Feedback on the bill is open through September 23.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
