Description

More than 90 percent of the wild salmon in the east-sea region is produced in the Gulf of Bothnia, where several large rivers flow. This is also where the salmon begins their migration to the southern Baltic Sea, to grow larger. After a couple of years, most of the salmon return to their native rivers to spawn and reproduce.

Salmon have been fished along the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia since the Middle Ages and for centuries this has been a significant industry for the area. During the war years, large quantities of salmon were caught because fishing in the Baltic Sea was then non-existent.

Nowadays, the EU has restricted salmon fishing in the Gulf of Bothnia. This may only take place during certain times and is limited by an annual quota. The severe restrictions on sea fishing in the southern Baltic Sea have meant that the supply of salmon in the Gulf of Bothnia has increased significantly, which means that fishing is improving for the coastal fishermen. The large rivers have met the researchers’ requirements for migrating salmon and reproduction, which is why this part of the salmon fishery is conducted in a sustainable way.