Atlantic salmon in the rivers Teno and Näätämö

The rivers Teno and Näätämö are located in the northernmost Finland and they flow to Barents Sea at the North-Norwegian coast. These rivers support some of the few wild salmon stocks still existing in Finland. In fact, The River Teno supports one of the largest salmon stocks in the world with annual river catches up to 250 tons. In the River Näätämö the yearly catches fluctuate between 4 and 16 tons. The management of the rivers Teno and Näätämö is based on the bilateral agreements between Finland and Norway. The salmon stocks of both rivers are monitored by the Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, the River Tenojoki Fisheries Research Station.

• The River Teno (Tana in Norwegian): catchment area 16386 km², mean annual discharge c. 200 m³/s, over 1200 km of river stretches available for ascending salmon, c. 20 genetically distinct salmon populations in the mainstem and tributaries, 1-5SW salmon.
• The River Näätämö (Neidenelva in Norwegian): catchment area 2962 km², mean annual discharge c. 30 m³, over 110 km of rivers stretches available for ascending salmon, 1-4SW salmon.

Annual salmon monitoring programmes:

• catch enquiries for estimation of the salmon catch in the river
• electrofishing of salmon nursery habitats for assessment of parr densities in   permanent experimental sites
• collection of adult salmon scale samples to determine the sea-age distribution and growth of ascending salmon and to estimate the origin of the fish (wild/reared)
• collection of salmon juveniles (parr) to detect the possible occurrence of the salmon parasite, Gyrodactylus salaris

Other research projects:

• underwater video monitoring in the River Utsjoki (a tributary of the River Teno) to count ascending salmon and descending smolts and to estimate the sea-survival of smolts
• habitat selection of salmon parr, especially in winter time
• snorkeling counts of adult salmon in the small tributaries of the River Teno to estimate the spawning stocks
• radiotelemetry studies to follow the migrations of salmon and to estimate the exploitation rate

Co-operation

The salmon stocks are monitored in co-operation with the Norwegian County Governor of Finnmark (Fylkesmannen i Finnmark) and with other administrators in both countries. Research contacts are active with scientists and institutions in e.g. Norway, Canada and Russia.

Responsible scientist:

Jaakko Erkinaro

Research Professor

Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute
Oulu Game and Fisheries Research
Tutkijantie 2 E
90570 Oulu, Finland
Tel. +358 - (0)205 751 871, fax +358 - (0)205 751 879
e-mail: jaakko.erkinaro@rktl.fi

Other research staff:

Jari Haantie, fisheries technician
Jorma Kuusela, research assistant
Matti Kylmäaho, fisheries technician
Maija Länsman, researcher
Eero Niemelä, researcher
Jorma Ollila, fisheries technician
Panu Orell, researcher

e-mail of the staff: firstname.lastname@rktl.fi

River Tenojoki Fisheries Research Station

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