In total there are approximately 70 inland water species reported of which approximately 20 are commercially exploited. These species include charr, salmon, trout, whitefish, vendace, smelt, eel, pike, perch, pike perch, ruffe, burbot, bream, roach, carp, river lamprey and crayfish. Total catches are not known. In both Sweden and Finland between 30,000 and 50,000 tonnes are caught mainly by non commercial fishermen. The catch is dominated by pike, perch and pike perch but salmonids and cyprinids also form a substantial part of the catch depending on the area.

The commercial catch in Poland is 22,000 tonnes, in Russia 9,000 tonnes, in Estonia 2,500 tonnes and in Lithuania and Latvia 2,000 tonnes each.

Some stocks are sustained by restocking programmes.

Special comments per country

Denmark

In Denmark the fisheries in lakes and rivers is generally owned by the nearest landowner. Protection of fish populations to avoid overfishing is regulated by the inland fisheries act. Habitat protection is regulated by the Nature Protection Act, the Environment Protection Act and the River Protection Act. A national fishing licence on recreational fisheries produces an income of ca. 30 mill. DKK per year of which ca. 75% comes from the Baltic area. The funds are used for restocking, research and lake restoration. The importance of recreational fisheries by anglers is increasing and commercial fisheries is loosing importance; less than 10 persons are currently having a full-time job and 200 a part-time job in inland fisheries.

Estonia

Commercial and part time fishery is important in two larger lakes (Peipsi-Pihkva, Vortsjrv). Total catch in inland waters compared with the catches taken from the Baltic Sea is rather small, less than 5% of the total catch (ca 99% of this amount is taken from lakes Peipsi-Pihkva and Vortsjrv). Main species caught are smelt, perch, pike-perch and bream from lake Peipsi and eel (stocked), bream and pike-perch from lake Vortsjrv. Main fishing gears are trap and gill nets. In the lake Peipsi danish seines are important and for vendace fishery pound nets. There is very small commercial fishery in rivers, it is mainly based on lamprey, bream and pike. Data of catches from the inland waters include commercial and part time fishery.

In Estonia the perch, pike-perch, pike, vimba, ide and roach are the most important species for recreational fishery in coastal sea. In inland waters those species are pike, perch, roach, pike-perch, bream, burbot and also white-fish in the Lake Peipsi.

The recreational fishery is regulated by Fisheries Rules and some additional regulation may be implemented by the Ministry of Environment. Restrictions by time, area, gears, bycatch and minimal landing size are mainly used. The fishery for sheatfish, grayling, asp and sturgeon is totally prohibited. A system of fishing licenses is implemented, except for fishing by single anglers.

A state stocking programme has been developed, with priorities given to rearing of salmon, seatrout and whitefish.

The Fisheries Fund was the main source of financing the stocking programmes, as well for additional financing of fisheries research and fishery surveillance activities. The main income of this Fund comes from the selling of fishery licenses and rights.

Finland

The fishing right is owned by the land owner or by the state. Different kinds of institutions exist to manage fisheries locally. To a certain extent, these institutions can make their own local fishing rules or regulations in line with the national fishing law. Management measures are typically minimum mesh size, minimum fish size, area and time closures.

Biological diversity is being maintained and increased by measures such as restoring river habitats, support releases of declined fish stocks, improving water quality by biomanipulation in lakes and with different local and central management measures. Special attention has been given to develop new models of management of gillnet fisheries. A special act is in force to protect the free running rapids. A study is being carried out to evaluate the distribution of the rare fish species. Special conservation programmes has been establish to protect the arctic char and landlocked salmon. The enhancement of asp has given good results.

The main fish stocks are in fairly good condition. However, some local stocks of white fish, pikeperch, brown trout, arctic char, wild salmon and landlocked salmon have suffered from environmental changes. In some areas these species are overfished.

Part of the fish species live in circumstances which are near the boundaries of occurrence. There is no indication rare fish species being exploited.

The total catch in recreational fisheries in the sea and in the fresh waters is 56.558 tons (1994). The number of recreational fisherman is 2 milj. The main species in recreational fisheries are perch, pike, white fish, roach, bream, vendace and pikeperch. Recreational fisheries and fishing tourism has increased while the number of professional fisherman has decreased.

The number of professional fisherman in inland waters is around 250 and the total catch is around 3,400 tons.

Germany

River and lake fisheries largly involve recreational fisheries, for example, 1,3 million anglers and nearly 600 fully professional enterprises are registered. Commercial fisheries are to a certain extent prosecuted by part time fishermen, but is generally only of regional or local importance. Main fish species in inland fisheries are whitefish, eel, carp, pike, pike-perch, perch and some coarse fish species. River fisheries are negatively influenced by obstructions, pollution and eutrophication. The increase of cormorants is causing heavy losses to all branches of inland fisheries including pond culture. Fishermen are concerned about the still declining yields of eel fishery. The trend towards commercial family enterprises with regional marketing (direct marketing of own and purchased products) is continuing in inland fisheries. The number of commercial enterprises has decreased and the fished area per enterprise has increased. In East Germany the size of the firms is generally bigger.

There are some official programmes for conservation or reintroduction of threatened species like salmon and houting. For stocking natural waters in the hatcheries of some states endangered species or species with unsufficient natural reproduction are artificially propagated and released into the wild.

Everybody who officially is managing a fishery in fresh water is obliged by legislation to take care that fish stocks (in species composition and abundance) are in accordance with the dimension and ecological quality of the waterbody. Stocking non endemic species must be permitted by the fishery authority.

Latvia

The commercial catch in inland waters is less than 1% of Latvian total catch in Baltic and catchment area. Professional and part time fisheries account for stable catches at around 500 tonnes/year by seines, nets, trap nets and hooks. Amount taken by recreational fishery is unknown. About 60% of the catch is taken in lakes, 10% in artificial water reservoirs and 30% in rivers. Lamprey, bream, pike, eel, roach and perch represent the bulk of the catch although 26 fish species on the registered 48 species are regularly caught.

Recreational fishery on pike (Esox lucius), roach (Rutilus rutilus), bream (Abramis brama), pikeperch (Stezostedion lucioperca) and other species mainly takes place for self-subsistence and it is believed that these catches several times exceed the quantities of the commercial fishery.

The Latvian Red List of threatened fish species contains 7 of total 48 inland water species. Theses species are: Acipenser sturio, anadromous- Coregonus lavaretus, Thymallus thymallus, Coregonus albula, Siluris glanis, Alosa fallax, Abramis ballerus.

Inland waters fisheries is regulated according to the Law on Fisheries, Regulations on Commercial Fishing in the Inland Waters of the Republic of Latvia and Angling Regulations. According to the principle of subsidiary enshrined by fisheries legislation, local administrations are entrusted with local management of fish resources including the lease of fishing rights. The total number of allowable fishing gears for each inland lake and river are fixed by the National Board of Fisheries based on recommendations of the Inland Waters Laboratory. The Inland Waters Laboratory is also involved in the drafting of a "Cadaster of Fishing Resources of Water Bodies in Latvia".

Latvia proposes to develop a responsible fishery in inland waters by improving the leasing of fishing rights, restockings, fisheries control and catch statistics.

Lithuania

Catches in inland waters are approximately 5-10% of the total catches in the Lithuanian waters (1,073 tonnes in 1996 compared to 25,203). The state of the main species (bream, roach, smelt, pikeperch) is good (except eel).

Inland waters are allocated into state and private water bodies. In not leased state owned water bodies commercial fishery is carried out according to the established limits and given permits. The limits are nominated in the tender (except Curonian Lagoon).

In the water bodies which are not leased but are in the competence of municipalities fishery is conducted in accordance with the limits set by Fish Resources Department and the permits given by municipalities. Limits are nominated in the tender.

In the leased water bodies fishery is conducted according to recommendations of scientists and the limits are set by the Fish Resources Department of the Environment Protection Ministry.

The limit for water bodies tenants are imposed after stocking with fish according to the fish stocking norms which are foreseen in the management plans.

Fishery in inland waters is implemented according to the Rules on Fishery and Protection of fish Resources in Lithuanian Waters.

Fishery in private water bodies are according to "Temporary Provisions on Fishery and Protection of Fish Resources in Private Water Bodies." These rules are claimed by the Environmental protection Ministry.

The biggest part of inland water catches (approx. 60-70%) is being taken in the Curonian Lagoon. The major fish species caught in the Curonian Lagoon are the following: bream (Abramis brama), roach (Rutilus rutilus), pikeperch (Stezostedion lucioperca), perch (Perca fluviatilis), smelt (Osmerus eperlanus).

In the Curonian Lagoon researches on the state of fish resources and analysis of fishery are carried out annually and provide recommendations regarding TAC and other management measures related to fishery. Catch limits for bream and pikeperch are established annually in the Curonian Lagoon. The status of these fish species is stable and at intensive level of utlization. Stocks of roach (Rutilus rutilus), silver bream (Blicca bjoerkna), perch (Perca fluviatilis), pike (Esox lucius), Asp (Aspius aspius), chekhon (Pelecus cultratus), goldfish (Carrasius auratus gibelio) have increased in the past years. Resources of these species are not fully utilized due to the fact that the key fishery is being oriented to valuable fish species (bream, pikeperch). The stocks of invaluable species such as three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) are also sufficiently large in the Curonian Lagoon. Because these species are rivalries of valuable species for food basis and because spawns of valuable species become a prey of invaluable ones, it is necessary to stimulate the fishery of three-spined stickleback. This is being implemented by setting a higher number of limits for valuable species to enterprises fishing invaluable species as well as by introducing financially stimulated measures.

There are national development and research programmes on fishery:

- 1995/1999 Programme for Management of the not leased national rivers;

- 1995/1999 Programme for Management of the not leased national water bodies;

- management programmes 1996-1999 for water bodies which belong to the municipalities

- research on inland water commercial fish resources and its forage base.

A programme of salmon restoration and protection 1997-2010 is under preparation.

The number of fishery enterprises in main inland waters is restricted.

Every fishing enterprise is obliged to work out and to implement plans for restoration and protection of fish resources or to grant means according to the established order.

Poland

In Poland most of the lakes and rivers are state owned but in the last years the privatization or reprivatization have been undertaken - and this process is continuing. There exist still some cooperative's fishing in the rivers. Total catch volume in Polish inland commercial fisheries is at the level over 22,000 tonnes, in which the highest catch volumes are giving bream and roach, but most valuable catch gives eel, pike, pike perch, perch and vendace. The recreationalj fisheries is important, but there is no full evidance of on the size of catches. The fish stocks in most of the lacks are overutilized and there exist restocking of most valuable spieces.

Sweden

In 1996 the catches in inland waters by unprofessional fishermen in Sweden amounted to 1786 tons. The total value was 40.4 million SEK. Approximately 350 persons are occupied in the commercial inland fishery in Sweden and 100 of these are partly also working with agriculture and forestry. The majority of the fishermen (70%) are fishing in the four great lakes, Lake Vanern, Lake Vattern, Lake Malaren and Lake Hjalmaren with a total area of 9,000 km². The importance of recreational and tourist related fisheries is large but no detailed information exist regarding the total catch and economic value for local communities of the non-professional fisheries. Interview studies suggest that the total recreational catch amounts to approximately 18,000 tonnes.

In Sweden, Salmon and trout are the most economically important species for recreational fisheries but rainbow trout and crayfish, pike, perch and pikeperch are also caught in substantial amounts. The Swedish red list of threatened fish species contains 16 out of total 58 inland water species of which Siluris glanis, Coregonus trybomi, Leucaspius deliniatus, Petromyzon marinus, Salmo salar, Salmo trutta, Salvelinus salvelinus, Thymallus thymallus and Astacus astacus. Trout populations in inland waters have generally increased on the west and east coast, while stocks in interior Sweden and in the mountain areas have remained unchanged during the last two decades. The difference between the regions are a larger interest for fishery management, liming and habitat improvements in the coastal area. Stockings are of little importance. Liming and increased closed areas are considered the most important measures for the stocks in the future.

In lake Vanern salmon and trout together with whitefish and Vendace dominate the catch. Roe from vendace contributes with approximately 50% of the catch value. In Lake Vättern the catch is dominated by Salmon, Arctic char and whitefish. In Lake Malaren and Hjälmaren, vendance, eel and pikeperch are important species.

A new inland water legislation from 1993, Sweden made a separation between professional and non-professional fishery. The latter is managed by gear limitations. Specific fisheries regulations have also been adopted by the Boarder Commission between Sweden and Finland for the Torne river.

The management of Swedish inland and coastal fisheries is based on long term research and development work which is coordinated by the National Board of Fisheries which has got a specific task to investigate, protect and rehabilitate the original Swedish freshwater crayfish and an action plan for protecting the biodiversity and improve sustainability. Biodiversity in stream populations have been studied with the use of electrofishing data and negative effects on biodiversity were mainly found in acidified waters and waters with extensive hydroelectric power development.

Russian Federation

Catches in inland waters (8,818 tonnes).

Bream (13%), smelt (14%), cisco (10%), roach (8%), pike-perch (7%) and perch (6%) are the most important species.

Fish resources state in the Curronian and Vistula Lagoons in general may be assumed satisfactory at present. Bream and pike-perch populations are rather stable. The trend of sustained decrease of abundance and biomass is typical for eel. Living conditions of the latter species in the lagoons are satisfactory, and the decrease mentioned is explained by poor natural recruitment of the stock which is caused by the general depression of the species in the area. Retention of the normal condition of the stock from the fishery point of view is possible only by means of systematic artificial release of young fish into the lagoons.

Populations of the European whitefish and vimba are in the state of sustained depression. It is caused by poor conditions of recruitment due to the increase of anthropogenic eutrophication of Curronian Lagoon (whitefish) and crossing Neman river (where main spawning areas of vimba are located) by the Kaunas roduction independent of the usage, however only limited information is currently available.

The strategy of fishery management in lagoons is restricted to support fish stocks at quasistable level while such long-living species as bream and pike-perch predominate in ichthyocenosis.

During the latest years commercial fishery has been further developed. At present the fishery develops apart from traditional fishermen (public sector, fishing co-operatives and consumer associations) and enterprises of various ownership forms (joint stock companies, individual businessmen, farmers, fishing sport associations etc.) enter the fishery. Additional fish processing plants, refrigeration warehouses, trading facilities etc. have been constructed.

Decrease of catches in the group of small fish (river perch, roach, ruffe etc.) is related to the lack of economic interest in the intensive fishery of these species which reflects in the decrease of fishing gear number, utilized in the latter fishery.

Increase of different fishermen ownership forms affected negatively catch statistics collection. Due to the reasons of economic nature, some valuable fish species are not covered by statistics which caused difficulties in the objective assessment of fishery removal.

In 1996 the programme of restocking of major anadromous fish species was elaborated. The programme includes restocking of lagoons with young eel, construction of salmon and vimba rearing plants, whitefish rearing farm in Kaliningrad region. In the North-western area of Russia there are seven fish rearing plants where besides salmonides and whitefish such species as river lamprey, pike, bream etc. are reared for restocking of the Baltic Sea basin rivers, Ladoga Lake and local basins.

At present the programme for major anadromous fish species recovery in Kaliningrad region basins is financed only for scientific researches.

State of stocks in Leningrad region inland waters in general may be considered as satisfactory.

In Ladoga Lake the populations of perch, roach, bream, smelt, vendance, are rather stable. The stocks of these fish species are underexploited.

In the Gulf of Finland pike-perch and pike-perch's and bream's stocks are in depleated state due to deterioration of reproduction conditions. Stocks of smelt, perch and roach are stable.