Finnish family firm avoids fish ladder requirement for a century despite conservation concerns

A successful Finnish industrial firm has evaded a legal obligation to build a fish ladder for over 100 years, blocking critical migration routes for endangered trout, reports public broadcaster Yle.

Woikoski Oy, a long-standing family business operating a hydroelectric plant on the Voikoski rapids, was first ordered to construct a fish ladder in 1923 as part of its power plant permit. The structure would allow fish—particularly the endangered trout—to reach vital spawning grounds upstream. Currently, the dam prevents migration entirely.

The company now faces a renewed deadline: a 2034 mandate tied to a planned new power station on the opposite riverbank. However, CEO Sari Palmberg declined to comment on timelines, stating the matter is “not among the most urgent tasks” following the death of her husband and company owner Clas Palmberg last year.

Local cottage owner Mikko Pekkala, whose family has property near the rapids, criticized authorities for failing to enforce the century-old requirement. “This feels like structural corruption,” he told Yle, questioning why no agency has compelled compliance. “The company clearly holds significant local influence.”

The Voikoski site is a national priority in Finland’s fish ladder strategy, according to Joonas Ikävalko, a fisheries biologist at the Centre for Economic Development. The project is critical for trout conservation but would also benefit common species like perch. A naturally designed ladder could even serve as spawning habitat, he noted.

Woikoski’s existing plant supplies electricity for its industrial and medical gas production. The firm has not publicly confirmed whether it will proceed with the new power station or the associated fish ladder investment.