Along the Swedish coast

Fish taxonomy-related counts

Within the National Monitoring Programme yearly investigations are carried out in three reference areas (see also 'Referensomraden' och' COBRA'); Holmoarna in the Northern Quark, Kvadofjarden in the Baltic Sea and Fjallbacka in the Skagerrak. Investigations in a fourth area in the southern Baltic Sea started in 2002. The investigations aim to follow the natural variations in individual growth, year class strength, stock development and abundance. Fishing with standardized methods is used for long term monitoring of the fish stock magnitude, species' richness and size structure. The coastal fishery in the Baltic Proper can be divided into two groups: Stationary warm water species as perch, white bream, ruffe & roach and cold water species which live deeper down and are less stationary, flounder, cod, bullhead, eelpout and lavaret. Fishing for warm water species is eg. in shallow water during the summer, and for cold water species is done in deeper water when the autumn temperature at the bottom has sunk below 12 degrees C. On the west coast the coastal fishery is monitored through test fishery with hoop nets/fish traps. The fishery is normally performed in shallow water during spring, summer and autumn. For selected species, data are collected for age analyses, growth and year class strength. For further information see 'Metoder for overvakning av kustfiskbestand' Kustrapport 1996:3. The method descriptions are under revision and differences from the hand book occur. New strategy with randomised sampling and new equipment has been used in certain areas since 2002.The programme is financed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and is performed in cooperation with the Museum of Natural History. Gothenburg University performs biochemical and physiological studies on perch and eelpout, and samples from perch and eelpout are used for the Museum's Monitoring Programme. The results are displayed yearly in the reports from the marine centres in Umea, Stockholm and Gothenburg.

Fiskeriverket (1996) Metoder for overvakning av kustfiskbestand, Kustrapport 1996:3

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Arrheniusplan 4
Uppsala

750 07
Sweden