Fishing in the changing Archipelago Sea

The ample fish stocks of the Archipelago area provide maintenance for about 150 professional and a considerable number of recreational fishermen. Catch species are among others Baltic herring, sander, perch and northern pike. The most valuable species is Baltic Herring taking into consideration of both the catch and the value. As fishing area of the perch and sander the Archipelago Sea is the most important in Finland.

Professional fishing in the Archipelago Sea is small-scaled and labour-centred coastline fishing. Fishing is mainly performed with nets and traps. Recreational fishermen usually use nets, rods, jigs, fish traps and hooks and lines.

The number of the fishermen in the Archipelago Sea has decreased in half during the last 20 years. Also the profitability of fishing has depreciated even if the catch efficiency has increased. The main reasons for that tendency are sinking of the real prices, fish stock alterations and increase in seal damages.

Threats of Climate Change and Eutrophication

Environmental changes have an affect to the fish populations and their users in the Archipelago Sea. The warming climate and waters strengthens some fish populations but hinders the moving and fishing of the fishermen by lessening the icecap. Milder winters have already affected the termination of the Baltic herring’s winter seining. On the other hand, warmer spring, summer and autumn increase the success of the sander, perch and northern pike.

Eutrophication is considered the worst problem in the Archipelago Sea. Eutrophication has already

changed the sea environment for the better and the worse when considering the fish populations. It has for example evicted Baltic herring to spawn to outer archipelago and lessened appropriate spawn areas for white fish. On the other hand, slight eutrophication has strengthened the population of sander and perch. It has also increased water vegetations and that way amplified spawn areas for sander and created more food and shelter for its fry. The problems of the eutrophication for the fishermen are slimy fishnets and increase of the less wanted catch like roach, rudd and bream.

 

 

More information:

Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute