Baltic Salmon in Estonia Taavi Nuum Estonian Green Movement - FoE

1. Baltic Salmon in EstoniaTaavi NuumEstonian Green Movement - FoE

2. State of the stock • Wild salmon populations in 9 Estonian rivers in the Gulf of Finland + Pärnu river • Condition of wild stock is poor • Production of wild smolt is very small in several rivers • Parr densities are very low in many rivers • Official catches of salmon in the area are low

4. Reared stocks • Most of the catch orginates from smolt realeses

5. Management objectivesThe IBSFC objective is to increase the natural production of wild Baltic salmon to at least 50% of the naturalproduction capacity of each river by 2010, while retaining the catch as high as possible.

6. Main obstacles to achive this goal • Blocked migration routes to the reproduction areas • Unpredictable amount of poaching with electrofishing equipment in rivers

7. Overview of main obstacles on Estonian salmon rivers • Kunda river – first dam 2km. Most of reproduction areas are inaccessible • Loobu river – first dam 8 km from mouth important part of potential reproduction areas are inaccessible • Valgejõgi – first dam 8 km, 90% of former reproduction areas are inaccessible • Jägala river- first dam 2 km, rebuilded Linnamäe Hydropowerstation • Pirita- first dam 14km, riverwater is used for providing drinking water for Tallinn

8. Overview of main obstacles on Estonian salmon rivers • Vasalemma – first dam 7 km, important spawning grounds are upstream from dam • Pärnu – Sindi dam FISH PASSWAYS AND LADDERS WOULD INCREASE THE SIZE OF REPRODUCTION AREAS

11. Actions to safeguard salmon habitats • According to the Ministry of Environment decree from july 2004 in Estonia is 112 rivers and riverparts. Alltogether there are 200 waterbodys which are suitable for salmonids • It is prohibited to build there new dams and reconstruct old dams in extent, which rise a waterlevel in river

12. Which rivers are protectedJägala jõgi – from waterfall until river-mouthKunda river – full lengthLoobu river – full lengthPirita river – from first dam until river-mouthPärnu river – from Tarbja water-reservoir dam until river mouthVasalemma river – from Ruila dam until river-mouthVääna river – from Saku dam until river-mouthSelja river – full lengthValgejõgi – full lengthKeila river – from Keila-Joa waterfall until river-mouth

13. Government decree about requirements for damming up the river • It should assure fishies passage • The built construction should allow to regulate a water level within allowed extent • Downstream from dam should be guaranteed a sanitary water flow

14. Thank You!!!