Recreational fishing in Finland

Hannu LehtonenUniversity of Helsinki

Recreational fishing is one of the most important nature activities for Finns.

In 2008 about 34 per cent of the population, i.e. 1.8 million people fished at least once.

Earlier fishing was mainly based on the household needs (subsistence fishing) but today it is for the most part a recreation.

Fishing with various kinds of rods and lines has expanded it’s breadth but also traditional gillnets and traps are still widely used.

Wire trap widely used in Finland

A particular characteristic of the Finnish fisheries is created by the climatic conditions.

Fishing waters are covered by ice for part of the year ice fishing is common during the winter season while the main fishing period is during the open water season.

There are around 70 permanent fish species in Finland, of which approximately 20 are actively fished.

Of the freshwater catch 90% in weight is taken by recreational fishers.

In the Baltic Sea the proportion of recreational catch is approximately half when Baltic herring is not included. 

Most Finnish fishing waters are privately owned and the fishing rights belong to water owner with certain exceptions.

Water areas are often fragmented and split between many parties, including the non-local owners of summerhouses.

Regardless of their ownership, all privately owned waters are divided into 228 fisheries regions which have rather wide mandate to regulate fishing in their area

Typical management measures implemented by Fisheries Regions include e.g. minimum mesh and landing sizes and areal and temporal closures.

A fisheries management fee must be paid prior to fishing by everyone between 18 and 64 years of age who wishes to participate in fishing activities other than angling or jigging (they are public rights).

The fee is a tax-like charge payable to the state and includes water owners fishing in their own area, but excludes fishing in the autonomous province of Åland (SW-Finnish archipelago), which has its own regulations.

Fishing in Åland is subject to the permission of the holder of the fishing rights. All fishing methods, including angling and jigging are subject to the same regulations and restrictions.

Jigging of Arctic charr in Lapland

Fishing methods <18 and >64 years old

18-65 years old

Angling and jigging Free of charge Free of chargeLure and fly fishing or trolling with one rod

Free of charge Fishing management fee and provincial lure fishing fee or permission given by water owner

All other fishing gears and trolling with more than one rod and crayfishing

Permission of water owner

Fishing management fee and permission given by owner of the water area

Licencing system of fishing in Finland

Recreational fishers as proportion of total Finnish population by age group and sex in 2008 (Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute)

The proportion of fishermen using different gear types in 2008 (Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute)

Fishing days (1000) of recreational fishermen by gear types in 1988-2008 (Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute)

Number of people using gill nets and hook and line by age group in 2008 (Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute)

Catch of recreational fishermen (1000 kg) by fish species in 2008 (Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute)

57% of the total recreational fish catch was taken in 2008 with gillnets and (wire) traps. 41% was caught with rod and line.

The average catch per fishing household was 33 kg. Of the households participated in fishing 11% did not get fish at all.

Trends in Finnish recreational fishing• Subsistence fishing is being replaced with recreational rod and line fishing

• The use of gillnets is decreasing

• Mobility of fishermen is increasing

• Fishermen specialize in certain fishing methods, (e.g. fly fishing) or in certain fish species

• The use of different kinds of services associated with fishing is increasing

Longline fishing in Baltic archipelago

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