Commercial Inland Fishery 2008

The commercial inland fishery catch totalled 3 900 tonnes in 2008. Measured by both catch volume and value, the main catch species was vendace. In 2008 the vendace catch (2 500 tonnes) was as big as in 2004 and 2006 but little smaller than in 2000 and 2002. The pikeperch catch has slightly increased in last eight years but perch, european whitefish, pike, burbot and trout catches have decreased. In 2008 the commercial fi shermen caught also about 150 000 signal crayfish.

In 2008, the value of the total commercial inland catch was 6.0 million euros. The value of vendace catch was 4.8 million euros, of which the value of vendace roe was 0.4 million euros. The value of crayfish catch was little over 150 000 euros. Measuring by catch value the most important species after vendace were pikeperch, european whitefish and perch. The value of crayfish catch was as big as the value of pike catch.

The number of registered commercial fishermen in inland waters in 2008 was about 320, and of them little over 200 derived at least 30 percent of their income from fishing. The number of whole-time fishermen was little smaller than earlier. Because of the methodological changes the number of part-time fishermen was clearly smaller than earlier. The estimate for 2008 does not include family members or other persons participating in fishing if they don’t include in the commercial fishermen register. The change in method did not affect much to the catch estimates.