Baltic Salmon management options & Salmon actions in BSAP

Baltic Salmon management options & Salmon actions in BSAP presented at Seminar Baltic Salmon Management for the Future, 15 16 October 2008, Riga-Salacgriva Mr Gunnar Norén Executive Secretary to Coalition Clean Baltic 1

Goals for CCB Seminar Baltic Salmon Management for the Future - Information / learning of the state of wild Baltic salmon - Reports on National salmon management & river populations - Chance to present salmon management proposals general & local - Develop common proposals for the coming EC Baltic Salmon Management Plan 2

Coalition Clean Baltic - For protection of the Baltic Sea Environment CCB Joining forces for the Baltic CCB is a network of Environmental NGOs, grass-root level, in 9 countries bordering the Baltic Sea CCB was established in 1990 CCB is environmental Citizens Organisations (ECO) in cooperation CCB has 25 member organizations that represents more than 0,5 million individual members CCB has organisations in: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden 3

Member organisations Denmark Danish Society for Nature Conservation Estonia Estonian Green Movement Estonian Society for Nature Conservation Tallinn Society for Nature Conservation Finland Finnish Association for Nature Conservation Finnish Society for Nature and Environment Germany Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland Latvia Environmental Protection Club of Latvia, VAK Latvian Green Movement, LGM Lithuania Lithuanian Fund for Nature Lithuania Lithuanian Green Movement Environmental Information Centre Poland Ecobaltic Foundation, Gdansk Ecological Library Foundation, Poznan Green Federation, GAJA, Szczecin Polish Ecological Club Russia Friends of the Baltic, St. Petersburg Ecodefense, Kaliningrad Green World, St. Petersburg Neva River Clearwater, St. Petersburg GUIDE Environmental Group, Kaliningrad Sweden Friends of the Earth Sweden Swedish Society for Nature Conservation Swedish-Polish Association for Environmental Protection WWF-Sweden 4

3 Priority Areas Promotion of Good ecological water status, - sustainable Wastewater management - sustainable River Basin Management - water protection measures in Agriculture Prevention of installations and transports harmful to the Baltic Sea environment and coastal areas - Protection of the Baltic Sea environment from harmful impacts of installations and transports - Promotion of sustainable development in coastal zones - Protection of Baltic river ecosystems from harmful installations (hydtoelectric power plants, dams etc ) Development of sustainable Baltic Sea fisheries - Protection of the naturally spawning Baltic Salmon - Baltic Sea sustainable fishing practices 5

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 - 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 6

Map from The Status of the Wild Atlantic Salmon a river by river assessment 2001 7

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 IBSFC Salmon Action Plan (SAP) SAP goal:reach 50 % of the potential salmon production in each salmon river by 2010 8

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 (2003) to include - Safeguarding genetic variability - Safeguarding each wild stock including the weakest 9

EU DG Fisheries interest so far very low interest for wild salmon protection (same for DG Environment-Atlantic salmon Habitat species) EC start work for Baltic Salmon Action Plan in 2007/2008 BS RAC (Regional Advisory Coucil for fisheries) -give advice on fisheries to EU (Fishing industry, Other interest groups) -CCB is one NGO-partner -BS RAC Working group Salmon Discuss Baltic salmon in November 2006-early 2007 Provided advice to EC DG Fisheries, April 07 10

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 conservation status Obligation for all EU-members to fulfil EU Habitat directive. (Report every two years, and every six years) 11

Studies - Genetic Lax: Material variability och metoder for Baltic Salmon Salmon populations from Northern Europe (46 respectively 38 populations, approx. 50 ind/population) Genetic markers : mtdna respectively Micro-satellites 12

ND1 Variation Four common European haplo-types derive from the ancestral ND1 BBBA by onestep substitutions: AAAA<AABA<BBBA>BBBB NFLD2 4902 GA NFLD1 North American haplotype NFLD1 differs from the European ancestral BBBA haplotype by 10 substitutions ACBA-AAA-AAA ACBA AAAA-BAA-AAA AAAA Hurst 4576 GA Hae III+ BBBA-AAA-ABA BBBA-AAA-AAB Rsa I- BBBB-ABA-AAA 4821AG AAAA-AAB-AAA AAAA-AAA-AAA 4910 AG Hinf I- AABA-AAA-AAA AABA 4518 GA Ava II+, Hae III- BBBA-AAA-AAA BBBA 3989 GA BBBB-AAA-AAA BBBB-BAA-AAA 3900 GA BBBB2 BBBB BDBB-ABA-AAA 13

Main Results: Clear separation between the Baltic and Eastern Atlantic salmon populations 14

Main Results: ND1 variation supports the hypothesis of postglacial colonization of the Baltic Sea by multiple lineages 15

The Yoldia Sea ca 10200 9000 BP FRESH WATER LAND 150 100 50 0 SALINE WATER 50 ICE 16

The Ancylus Lake ca 9300 BP FRESH WATER LAND 120 280 200 40 0 SALINE WATER ICE 17

Salmon: microsatellite variability 18

Conclusion Genetic variability: Baltic salmon : at least two colonization routes to Baltic Sea (via Barents Sea & North Sea) Wild Baltic salmon genetic variability today, reflects historical colonization routes after Ice age Knowledge of various Genetic units Basic data for Salmon conservation goals 19

Baltic Salmon situation today Salmon quota (TAC) 477 000 salmon (year 2006) -460 000 in Baltic Main basin (reported 324 000 in year 2005) -17 000 in Gulf of Finland Fisheries open-sea 54 % (mainly by Pol, Den, Fin, Swe) coastal 36 % rivers approx 10% Farmed and released salmon 6-7 million per year Production from Natural spawning mainly in a few river in Bothnian Bay increased considerably last years ( approx. 2 million smolts per year) IBSFC develop Terminal fishery areas (for released salmon) 20

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 ) 21

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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 2003-2005} - ICES advice 324 000 salmons 2007 (same as reported landing in 2005) - ICES advice for 2006 current exploitation pressure. TAC quota decided 460 000 salmon 23

Gulf of Bothnia 24

Southern Baltic 25

ICES advice for Baltic salmon management for 2007 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 26

Gulf of Finland 27

Unclear fishing pressure for salmon in Poland For same fishing sector in southern Baltic - Poland report 80-90 % 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 50 000 salmon 28

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 29

SALMON FISHERIES Many steps need to be taken in salmon fisheries management towar a more sustainable management. - Futher improve the fairness and balance in management of dista water and close to home river -water in Baltic salmon fisheries A. Regulations of the open-sea commercial salmon fisheries Implementation of measures that will minimise fisheries on weak wild salmon populations. 1.Phase-out of the salmon drift-net fisheries until 1 January 2008, accordance with the EC decision, to stop the possibilities for by-ca of an restored coming harbour porpoises population in the Baltic S 2. Regulations for salmon long-line fisheries The fishery rules for long-lines and anchored floating lines include : - a closed season, 1 April to 15 November, for drifting lines and anchored floating lines. - maximum 2000 hooks per vessel - minimum size for hooks are 19 mm 30 Proposals have been presented to change such rules.

B. Regulations of the coastal commercial salmon fisheries 1. Trap-net coastal fisheries The period for such fisheries must guarantee that all wild salmon migration along a certain coastal area guarantee sufficient salmon runs in rivers, before the commercial salmon coastal fishery is opened. Strict regulations must be developed. 2. Phase-out or strict control of salmon trap-nets outside salmon rivers. Trap-nets outside the river-mouth area of wild salmon rivers, and salmon fishing in rivers Fishing outside wild salmon river-mouths cannot be performed or opened until the salmon run, with a certain number of agreed and controled returning spawners (female + male), calculated in accordance with the size of spawning areas and its production, have entered the river. 31

C. Recreational fisheries sportfishing Sportfishing in salmon rivers and river-mouths must be restricted and controled carefully each year, and should not be opened until a controled amount of returning spawners (male and female) have reached its spawning grounds for a sustained river population. D. Better control and inspection of salmon fisheries Fishery inspections (at least in Poland) of today do not control and distinguish between salmon and seatrout. The consequence of this is that all salmon outside the TAC, can be landed as sea-trout. No international TAC, e g by EC, is decided for sea-trout. Minimum landing size for Baltic salmon is 60 cm, in international agreements. - Fishery inspections in all Baltic countries, having landing of salmon and sea-trout, should educate fishery inspectors to distinguish and control salmon and sea-trout landings. 32

E. New Goals for salmon production in rivers Individual goals when to reach a certain production level each salmon river Reach 75 % of potential salmon production Reach 100 % of potential salmon production (full production) At least 300-500 female spawners shall reach their spawning bottoms (Danish salmon river: goal-1000 returning spawners) To be reached by all salmon rivers 2011-2015 33

Salmon management in wild salmon rivers 1. Develop an effective EC and Baltic Sea Plan of Action for Salmon management, Habitat Protection and Restoration A.First action Good and reliable monitoring of returning spawners(male + female) (also proposed by ICES) (e g with automatic fishing counting equipment) Monitoring of smolt production and parr density Monitoring smolt migration, out from the river 34

Automatic fish counter Continuous control Careful good result Effort small 35

Infra red light-curtains Size Speed Direction 36

Interpretation and reporting 37

Not only salmon Färna Bream Pike Beaver Bubbles Sutare 38

Number passages per day 39

B. Habitat protection Spawning and breeding areas Create NATURA 2000 protected areas C. Habitat restoration of all spawning areas, downstreams dams and stops. To reach full production capacity on naturally spawning salmon, especially for threatened wild salmon populations. D. Removal of dams/stops, or/and construction of fishways so salmon can reach upstreams spawning areas. United States removal of >200 dams in 10 years time 40

Requirements for salmon fish-ways in salmon rivers with dams CCB proposals: - Removal of dams and stops, or construction of wellfunctioning salmon fish-ways (returning adult spawners+downstream migrating smolts) - Salmon fish-ways must have regular-yearly migration monitoring. Documentation of well-functioning fish-ways, with regular monitoring every year. If the fish-way is not working properly, the fish-way must be reconstructed to fulfil adequate criteria for effective migration through the fish-way. 41

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 42

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 30 100 cm Speed 0,5 2 m/s Slope 1 2 % 43

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- Salmon actions in Helcom Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP),15 Nov 07,Krakow Actions under Biodiversity and Nature Conservation active conservation of at least ten endangered/ threatened wild salmon river populations in the Baltic Sea region as well as the reintroduction of native Baltic Sea salmon in at least four potential rivers, by 2009 the further development and application in all cases of appropriate breeding and restockning practices for salmon and sea-trout to safeguard the genetic variability of native wild stocks, by 2012 48

- 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 49

Salmon Genetic experiment Reared and released salmon compensation programmes managed by Hydro-power companies 6-7 million smolts released every year. Manipulation of the eco-system No control of such releases from EU in EU-waters. Each country decide on its own. * Re-focus resources used for Compensation programmes to be used to safeguard weak salmon river populations. * Long-term salmon management should maximise production of naturally spawning salmon, and phase-out of salmon release programmes (to reach Biological/Ecological management) 50

- Salmon supplementary release policy In salmon rivers with very weak wild salmon populations a supplementary release programme can be needed, to safeguard the wild genetic-specific stock. To get the supplementary programme to copy the natural ecological principles, all release programme must be in accordance with finger-print genetics. (Salmon with alien genetics should never be released in a river system, which still have a wild population. Such procedures would destroy the wild genetic specific population) all release programmes shall use early life-stages of salmon, to mimick (imitate) the natural reproduction process as much as possible. (This means that preferably egg shall be released on suitable bottoms. Very young smolts may be released under certain controled circumstances) 51

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Risk with farmed and released salmon A 10-year study has revealed that genetic and competitive pressure from farmed salmon fish could very well be endangering wild salmon to the point of extinction. (Team of scientists from Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, in 2003) 54

Developed coordination of Baltic salmon management between the fisheries and environmental sectors Baltic salmon is important for fisheries, but salmon is also a protected species, that is supposed to have a good favourable status. Today the salmon management is performed by national and EU bodies for fisheries. A change is needed to fulfil e g EU Habitat directive. CCB proposal: -EC should develop a Programme for Baltic salmon management that balance the fisheries sector activities with conservation and protection needs/requirements, to safeguard all wild Baltic salmon river populations. 55

Buy-out of salmon fishing rights from commercial fisheries NASF, an NGO from Iceland, has succesfully the last 15 years been running programmes to buy-out of fishing rights on open-sea salmon fisheries, to enhance the returning of salmon spawners to its home rivers. Such measures have been implemented outside Greenland, Northern Ireland, Swedish West coast, Trondheim fjord etc. Such programmes has supported the survival of many populations of the very threatened Atlantic salmon. Same kind of programme may be developed in the Baltic Sea. A Fisheries Fund in Northern Finland has used this strategy, to get more returning salmon to the Simojokki river in northern Finland. Salmon coastal fisheries outside the river, were during a period of 8 weeks bought from some fishermen during the migration period in 2005. 56

Salmon management the four H US salmon management four important components must be included in salmon management *Harvest (fisheries) *Habitat *Hydro-dams (and other stops for migration) *Hatcheries 57

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. 58

International arena Atlantic salmon (incl Baltic salmon) NASCO (North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation) (committees for North-West Atlantic, Greenland, North-East Atlantic) - Situation in many countries very critical (e g US, Canada) (Russian Kola peninsula still strong populations) - NASCO Stopped all open-sea salmon fisheries (Completely other management views compared to Baltic salmon) - NASCO apply model for management based on river population management 59

- North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF), NASF s chairman Orri Vigfusson succesful work to buy-out salmon netting in waters of Greenland, Norway etc - Big problems with unintentional escapes from salmon fishfarming. - Strayers-escapees (0,5 million) (farmed salmon) migrate to rivers, and mix with wild populations - Compare to Baltic Sea, 4,5 million smolts released every year - Released salmon (compensation for hydro-power construction) for open-sea fisheries Conclusion: Baltic Salmon management has a lot to learn from Atlantic salmon management 60

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Drift-net dangers - Drift-net salmon fisheries in the Baltic Sea (starting in 1950s) up to 21 km long driftnets 1. Cause unsustainable by-catches A. Sea-birds by-catch Studies of ringed guillemots 33 % of all ring recoveries are made in salmon drift-nets B. Harbour porpoises by-catch - The implementation of the EU ban on driftnets in Baltic Sea, from 1 January 2008, is important to recover and sustain a Baltic harbour porpoises population for the future. The drift-net fisheries have historically contributed considerably to the strong decrease of the porpoise population. High bycatch of porpoises in driftnets have been reported e g from the 1960s 63

Gotland Bornholm 64

By-catch in fishing gear is today one of the biggest threats to the survival of these small whales. Since the population is so small ( about 600) and reproduction is slow, as few as 6 porpoises by-caught in salmon fishing-gear could have serious effects on the small population, and threaten the long-time survival of harbour porpoise in the Baltic Sea. C. Drift-net fisheries threaten wild Baltic salmon populations - Open-sea fisheries on mixed salmon populations - Drift-net fisheries can kill wild salmon from weak salmon river population, and contribute to the extinction EU responsibility EU must also take full responsibility to implement EU Council of Ministers decision to ban the use of drift-nets used by fishing vessels from EU member countries from 1 January 2002, and also fulfil the United Nations decision from 1989 to stop drift-net fisheries. 65