Commercial Marine Fishery 2006

In 2006, the catch by Finnish commercial fishermen in the marine area totalled 103 million kg. The bulk of the catch consisted of Baltic herring (79 million kg), followed by sprat (19 million kg). The next biggest catches were perch (0.9 million kg), European whitefish (0.7 million kg) and cod (0.7 million kg). The total catch was fourteen million kg bigger than that in the previous year. The increase was greatest for Baltic herring, 13 million kg and sprat, one million kg. Also catches of cod, bream, perch, pikeperch and pike were bigger than in 2005. Of the total catch, 92 % was taken by trawl, 5 % by trap net and 2 % by gill net.

The producer value of commercial marine fishery in 2006 totalled EUR 20 million. Economically the most important species was Baltic herring (EUR 10 million). Other economically important species were European whitefish (EUR 2.1 million), sprat (EUR 2.0), pikeperch (EUR 1.6), salmon (EUR 1.2 million) and perch (EUR 1.1 million).

At the end of 2006, the register of professional fishermen contained the names of 2122 fishermen. A third of them, earned at least 30 % of their income from fishing. The number of professional fishermen was highest in the areas of the fishery units of the employment and economic development centres (EEDCs) of Varsinais‑Suomi and Ostrobothnia.