Article categories: News
Fishing to be prohibited again at the offshore of Vaasa 20 April–20 May
Published: 16.4.2025
Almost the entire southern city bay and the straits leading to it, as well as Onkilahti, will again be closed to fishing from 20 April to 20 May. The month-long closure is timed to coincide with the perch spawning season and is aimed at restoring the perch population, which has declined in recent years. The fishing ban imposed by the town and the ELY Centre applies to all fishing.
According to expert advice from the Finnish Natural Resources Institute LUKE, the southern city bay is a very important spawning ground for perch on a coast-wide scale. However, catches of perch have declined considerably in recent years. The main reasons are overfishing, especially during the perch spawning season, and the presence of cormorants, which are abundant in the area.
Heavy fishing in spring is reflected in the size and age composition of the population. The proportion of older perch at the offshore of Vaasa has been low, and the number of perch of commercial size is lower in late summer and autumn.
– Based on comprehensive expert advice and discussions, there are compelling reasons to the fishing ban. The closure aims to distribute the catch more evenly throughout the year. According to LUKE, this would probably be a good development for the utilization of perch stocks, says Christoffer Rönnlund, head of land and real estate management.
Fishing ban is in force on almost the entire southern part of the bay
The closed area covers the waters of the city of Vaasa on the southern part of the city bay, the straits leading to the bay, and the Onkilahti bay. The southern city bay is only partly owned by the City of Vaasa, but Sundom Vattendelägarlag has also banned fishing in its waters. Consequently, a one-month fishing ban is in force on almost the entire southern part of the bay.
In addition to the fishing ban, the cormorant’s impact on the perch population is also being controlled. The southern coastal ostrobothnia fishery district has, by way of derogation, oiled cormorant eggs at Juckasgrynnan. The measure is aimed at reducing the production of young and thus limiting the cormorant population.
