Baltic wild salmon facts, threats and actions needed

Transcription

1 Baltic wild salmon facts, threats and actions needed

2 CCB activities for Baltic salmon protection - Inventories and studies of wild Baltic Sea salmon populations in Eastern Europe ( Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus) - Habitat Restoration of salmon spawning bottoms in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - River clean-up actions in small rivers in Estonia - Re-introduction of wild salmon in small rivers of Pomerania, Poland (support GF Gaja project) - Construction of a Fish-ladder for salmonids in Vilnale river (close to Vilnius), Lithuania - Study trips to well-functioning fish-ways in Baltic Sea region -Organising National and International seminar on Baltic salmon management -Participate in BS RAC(Regional Advisory Council for Fisheries) Influence new EU Baltic Salmon Managment Plan

3 Map from The Status of the Wild Atlantic Salmon a river by river assessment 2001

4 IBSFC (International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission)(closed in 2005) Salmon surveillance group (only national and EU officials) - mainly fisheries sector economical interest - Follow implementation of the Salmon Action Plan (SAP) SAP goal:reach 50 % of the potential salmon production in each salmon river by 2010

5 Baltic Salmon action plan (SAP) The SAP was adopted in 1997 to support the sustainable management of the Baltic salmon and to secure the survival of the wild Baltic salmon populations. CCB proposal - needed to decide on complementary goals and new actions to be included into the Baltic SAP. Redefinition of objectives for the SAP, in accordance with ICES advice ICES has proposed IBSFC to redefine the objectives for Baltic salmon management to - Safeguarding genetic variability - Safeguarding each wild stock including the weakest

6 Baltic Salmon - conservation status favourable? Atlantic (Baltic) salmon a species of special interest in EU Habitat directive. Endangered or vulnerable; rare; endemic or require particular attention Wild salmon shall reach Good favourable status Obligation for all EU-members to fulfil EU Habitat directive. (Report every two years, and every six years)

7 Baltic Salmon situation today Salmon quota (TAC) salmon (year 2006) in Baltic Main basin (reported in year 2005) in Gulf of Finland Fisheries open-sea 54 % (mainly by Pol, Den, Fin, Swe) coastal 36 % rivers approx 10% Farmed and released salmon 4,5 million per year Production from Natural spawning in a few river in Bothnian Bay increased considerably last years ( > 1,5 million smolts per year) IBSFC develop Terminal fishery areas (for released salmon)

8 Improper commercial fishing policies, and extensive artificial salmon stocking programmes threaten the naturally spawning Baltic salmon. 2/3 of all wild Baltic salmon river populations are threatened (26 river populations )

9

10 - ICES advice for 2006 current exploitation pressure. TAC quota decided salmon ICES advice for Baltic salmon management for 2007 Main Basin and Gulf of Bothnia - Strong salmon stocks in northern Baltic: Current exploitation will not impair possibility to reach 50 % production goal - Status of less productive wild stocks is poor, especially in Southern Baltic - negative trend in smolt production observed in Southern Baltic (increased post-smolt mortality during past decade) (Southern Baltic has high proportion of overall genetic variability of Baltic salmon stocks) - M 74 present advice assumes that M 74 will continue at a low level {M 74 level in Swedish hatcheries 2006 up to 19 %. Compare to 2-7 % in } - ICES advice salmons 2007 (same as reported landing in 2005).

11 Gulf of Bothnia

12 Southern Baltic

13 Share of salmon and trout in offshore fisheries Driftnetting Longlining 100% 100% 80% 60% Salmon Trout 80% 60% Salmon Trout 40% 40% 20% 20% 0% Poland Sweden 0% Poland Sweden

14 No regulation of Baltic sea-trout fisheries No TAC for sea-trout in Baltic No minimum landing size of seatrout(for salmon min. landing size is 60 cm) Consequence is no limits for seatrout landings & salmon landings-pol

15 Classifying salmon as seatrout result in no-limits for salmon fisheries Fisheries inspection in Gdynia do not distinguish salmon/sea-trout Most probably misreporting in Polish salmon/sea-trout landings Polish misreporting can correspond to salmon/year EC must develop a control of landings that distinguish between salmon and sea-trout

16 ICES advice for Baltic salmon management for Gulf of Finland - wild salmon stocks very critical situation -Native salmon populations in at least 3 Estonian rivers (genetically distinct from each other) Another 6 wild Estonian rivers supported with smolt releases - Russian Luga river native population, and smolt releases - Poaching a big problem -Recovery programmes should be developed for all rivers

17 Gulf of Finland

18 CCBs proposals for a sustainable management of the wild Baltic salmon New and clear goals for Baltic salmon management - All wild salmon stocks to be maintained above their conservation limits - the goal of the Baltic Sea region countries is to cooperate internationally to protect and rebuild threatened and endangered salmon populations in order to preserve natural diversity - guarantee the genetic variability of wild Baltic salmon - all weak wild salmon river populations will be safeguarded

19 - Implementation Salmon actions in Helcom Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP),15 Nov 07,Krakow Prepare detailed salmon river management plans: Sweden(2 in Sweden), Russia(Luga river in Russia), Estonia(3 in Estonia), Latvia(3 in Latvia) and Lithuania(1 in Lithuania), reintroduction in 4 potential rivers Finland(2 in Finland), Poland(2 in Poland) Denmark (?) Sustained salmon population Goals for number of returning spawners Goals for number of out-migrating smolts Habitat restoration plan Regulations of fisheries activities(also coast&river-mouth) High standard salmon monitoring

20 Salmon management in wild salmon rivers 1. Develop an effective EC and Baltic Sea Plan of Action for Habitat Protection and Restoration A.First action Good and reliable monitoring of returning spawners(male + female) (e g with automatic fishing counting equipment) Monitoring of smolt production and parr density Monitoring smolt migration, out from the river

21 Automatic fish counter Continuous control Careful good result Effort small

22 Infra red light-curtains Size Speed Direction

23 Interpretation and reporting

24 Number passages per day

25 Functions of fishways Happy salmon does not jump, it swims >50% of existing fishways are not working properly To construct an efficient fishway is difficult, much more complicated than most people believe. Best solution - avoid fish ladder & fish - ways

26 Natural mimicing New constructed parallel river-bed Excavation Construction upstream/downstream Gravel, pebbles and boulders Small slope, no thresholds For all fish species Low maintenance cost Depth cm Speed 0,5 2 m/s Slope 1 2 %

27

28 Joint NGO Baltic salmon co-operation NGO-monitoring of commercial salmon fisheries half -driftnets; swinging nets Joint NGO-positions on EC Baltic Salmon Management Plan stronger influence Lobby national governments to support joint NGO-positions Awareness campaign for value of wild Baltic salmon stocks Symbol species for a Clean Baltic Sea More interest and financing

29 If you wait some years High risk unique salmon populations are lost forever Wild Baltic salmon a Baltic heritage to be esteemed Let the wild Baltic salmon become a symbol for a unique and rich Baltic Sea Baltic Region citizens are obliged to restore all wild Baltic salmon populations.

30

31 Unclear fishing pressure for salmon in Poland For same fishing sector in southern Baltic - Poland report % of driftnet+longlining is trout - Sweden report max 5% of driftnet+longlining is trout -Polish fisheries control not distinguish salmon / trout -Minimum landing size for salmon - 60 cm. No restrictions for Sea-trout (Quota, min landing size) Polish salmon landings may be underestimated with salmon