Leaked European commission plan would open gates to overfishing

Baltic Sea proposal would allow catches well above current sustainable levels needed to restore healthy fish stocks, putting some species at risk, conservationists warn

Fishermen could soon be given carte blanche to overfish without needing to worry about restoring fish populations to a healthy state under a leaked European commission proposal seen by the Guardian.

If it is approved, the blueprint for the Baltic Sea could soon be applied to the North Sea too, potentially threatening the future of some cod species, MEPs say.