The working group on the coordination of the conservation of the Saimaa ringed seal and the Saimaa fishery was so divided that it did not come up with a proposal on the duration of the net fishing ban. The Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry also disagree.
Saimaannorpan protection and fishing restrictions in the Saimaa region are undergoing a major political twist. The buttons facing each other are, in particular, the Minister for the Environment and Climate Krista Mikkonen (Green) and the Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Jari Leppä (central), which are on the exact opposite lines of coordinating the conservation of the seal and fisheries.
The question is whether the current fishing restrictions are sufficient to protect the highly endangered Saimaa ringed seal stock in the future.
In Lepä’s opinion, they are sufficient, as the current restrictions have secured the growth of the ringed seal population. The number of ringed seals has increased in the 21st century from about 240 individuals to 420–430 individuals.
According to Mikkonen, the restrictions are not enough, but the net fishing ban set for the protection of cubes born in the spring should be extended by one month from the current one, ie until the end of July. In addition, vendace nets should be included in the ban.
Disagreements also latent the work of the Saimaa ringed seal and fisheries working group under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Published in January in its report the working group proposes new fishing restricted areas for Saimaa to allow the ringed seal to spread to its former habitats. On the other hand, the working group did not reach an agreement on the duration of the net fishing ban and did not make a proposal at all.
Also read: New fishing restricted areas are proposed to protect the Saimaa ringed seal
The Ministry of the Environment submitted a report dissenting opinion, which is quite rare. In addition, the environmental organizations WWF and the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, as well as the University of Eastern Finland and the Saimaa Ring Club, submitted a joint dissenting opinion.
Both call for fishing restrictions to be extended until the end of July and for vendace nets to be included.
Metsähallitus’ Nature Services, which is responsible for implementing Norpa’s protection, left supplementary opinion. According to it, the extension of the net fishing ban in ringed seal areas until the end of July is justified.
Net fishing has been prohibited in the restricted area from mid-April to the end of June, with the exception of vendace nets less than 20 mm in node spacing.
Working group the report will serve as a basis for a new regulation on fishing restrictions. The opinion period on the draft decree prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry expired on Friday, and the restrictions will take effect in April.
By midnight on Friday, a total of 135 statements had been received, including from municipalities and cities, fisheries municipalities, provincial associations, NGOs and individuals, says the chairman of the working group, Fisheries Adviser. Eija Kirjavainen from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
“We’re going to go through them now. There are a lot of strongly different opinions, and in the end it’s a matter of political consideration, ”says Kirjavainen.
According to Kirjavainen, the differences of opinion are above all about how much we want to accelerate the growth of the ringed seal population.
According to the draft decree in the statements, the ministry is not extending the net fishing ban to July. Minister Leppä has already announced the report at the handover ceremony in January its own line. According to it, the restriction period will remain unchanged as the ringed seal population grows in accordance with the conservation strategy.
Surroundings- and according to climate minister Mikkonen, current restrictions are not enough to secure the future of the ringed seal.
“While the ringed seal population has grown, other threats, such as climate change, are intensifying all the time. There have already been such winters that the seal nesting has not been successful because there has been no snow. These threats must be reduced in every way, ”says Mikkonen.
“According to research, the ringed seal will die in the nets also in July. That is why I believe that the net fishing ban should be extended until the end of July. “
Minister of the Environment and Climate Krista Mikkonen (Green) wants to extend the net fishing ban in the Saimaa region until the end of July.
According to Mikkonen, the alder’s announcement that the restriction period will remain unchanged is not a decision on the content of the decree: The decision is made by the entire government, not by an individual minister. ”
According to Mikkonen, the ban should be extended to vendace nets, as ringed seals will also drown in them.
“When vendace nets were exempted from restrictions six years ago, it was stated that the matter would be reviewed if there is a ring mortality. Now, unfortunately, it has happened that at least six ringed seals have died in vendace nets. They are of great importance, which is why the ban needs to be clarified, ”says Mikkonen.
The heavy snowy winter brought exceptionally favorable conditions for the Saimaa ringed seal nesting this year. However, snow winters are declining in Saimaa as well.
Saimaa produces about half of the entire Finnish vendace catch. It is obtained almost entirely with ring-safe gear, seines and trawls. About a third of the catch is taken under the winter with ice.
There are a total of about 190 professional fishermen in the Saimaa region, of which 40 are commercial fishermen in the so-called first group. Vendace accounts for about 70% of the value of fishermen’s catch. According to the report, recreational fishing in Saimaa is carried out in about 27,000 residential communities.
I- and Minister of Forestry Leppä does not consider it necessary to extend the network ban. Instead, it is important to pay attention to safety gear and its proper use.
“We have to look at the whole. It includes the Saimaa ringed seal and its conservation, fishing and the availability of domestic fish. Lake Saimaa is also Finland’s most important lake area in terms of fishing. It is my job to look at all of this, and that is the way forward. ”
According to Lepä, the threat to the seal is greater than online deaths: “The predator must also be taken into account. For example, if foxes are not caught, it can also affect the ringed seal population. Everything affects everything.”
According to Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Lepä (center), the current fishing restrictions are sufficient to secure a viable ringed seal population in Saimaa.
The alder emphasizes the commitment of residents, summer residents and fishermen to fishing restrictions. Residents of the area and recreational fishermen welcome the conservation of the Saimaa ringed seal and safe fishing. Restrictions on fishing are widely accepted and accustomed to life, survives the opinion poll.
“Commitment has been very good and restrictions have been welcomed. It is good to keep them in force, but there is no need to extend them, ”says Leppä.
Fishing restrictions however, the scope and length of the online ban are divided. Some would like a total net fishing ban for Saimaa, others would lift the restrictions completely.
Environmental organization A survey commissioned by WWF According to the opinion, the majority of Finns and also the residents of the Saimaa region are of the opinion that the net fishing ban defined as the protection of cubes should apply to all fishing nets, including vendace nets. A clear majority was of the opinion that the net ban in seal nesting areas should be extended.
WWF program manager Petteri Tolvanen find the situation strange.
“There is an exceptionally wide front behind the extension of the net fishing ban. However, there are fears that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry seems to be ignoring the demand of the authorities responsible for the protection of the Saimaa ringed seal and researchers, as well as environmental organizations and citizens, to take more effective measures to protect the ringed seal. ”
According to research, Tolvanen points out that vendace nets have also proved to be dangerous for ringed seals. “There is clear evidence of this. About a quarter of all reported ringed seal deaths have occurred in vendace nets. The matter now needs to be reconsidered, ”he says.
The ban on Saimaa net fishing has been set above all to protect Saimaa ringed seal cubs, as they are easily drowned in nets.
According to Tolvanen, the Saimaa ringed seal has two major threats: fishing mortality and climate change. The mild winters of recent years may increase the mortality of newborn cubes in particular.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/nature-restrictions-on-fishing-in-saimaa-ringed-seal-areas-became-a-major-twist-ministers-disagree-on-adequacy-of-current-restrictions/
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