Swedish approach to releases of fish in the wild 10 th of March 2020 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Swedish approach to releases of fish in the wild 10 th of March 2020 Sofia Brockmark, Senior Analyst Fisheries Policy Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management

Releases and removal of fish in natural habitats – different purposes » Conservation • Reintroduce fish in rivers where the native population are extinct • Enhance or sustain viable populations Freshwater pearl mussel » Increase fishing opportunities • Put-and-take fishery • Compensatory releases » Compensate for natural production due to habitat degradation

National regulations » Release and removal of fish, molluscs and crayfish – national regulation (FIFS 2011:13) • County Administrative Board (21 in Sweden) – approval procedure • Species and stock protection • Diseases protection • Salmonid fishes need to be fin clipped (but exemptions for scientific purposes) • Individual/group tagging • No removal salmonid fishes allowed from coast to inland waters.

National strategy – release and spread of fish » Habitat restauration and conservation – release is the last- resort solution » Avoid genetic effects – use fish of local origin » Avoid hatchery effects on the phenotype – minimise time in the captive environment

Upcoming » New EU-legislation – animal health law (AHL) – enter into force in 21 st of April 2021 » National legislation and strategy needs to be revised this year » New legislation requiring modern environmental conditions for electrical hydroelectric plants