Fishing Act (2015)

The Act lays down principles for fishing in Estonia. Its purposes are to ensure conservation and economic use of fish and aquatic plant resources on the basis of internationally recognized principles of responsible fisheries; ensure reproduction capacity of fish and aquatic plant resources and productivity of bodies of water; and avoid undesirable changes in the ecosystem of bodies of water. The Act applies on the territory and in the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Estonia with the specifications arising from the Exclusive Economic Zone Act and the legislation of the European Union. It also regulates fishing in waters outside the jurisdiction of the Republic of Estonia by vessels for which Estonian papers of nationality have been issued or if the fishing is carried out in the case provided for in this Act by an operator registered in the commercial register of the Republic of Estonia in so far as the legislation of the country of location of the fishing ground or any international agreement regulating fishing in the fishing ground or the EU legislation does not provide otherwise. The Act does not regulate fish farming and fishing in fish breeding structures, such as ponds, cages and pools.