Whitefish dip-net fishing resumes in Oulujoki estuary

Traditional dip-net fishing for whitefish has begun again in the Oulujoki estuary, with the best catches expected at the end of October, Yle reports.

Fishers may keep male whitefish and fish that are not protected. Female whitefish must be handed over so their eggs can be collected for restocking obligations. The Oulu Game and Kennel Club sells fishing permits and supervises the fishery.

Club vice-chair Jouni Roininen said interest was strong from the first day, but the river water may still be too warm for whitefish to migrate upstream. The fish typically begin moving towards their spawning grounds when the water is around five degrees Celsius. As the weather and river cool, the number of fish moving upstream is expected to increase. The largest catches are usually made in late October; some experienced fishers have caught as many as 150 whitefish in a few hours on one permit, Roininen said.

Whitefish cannot pass the Merikoski hydroelectric power plant to spawn, so restocking is used to maintain the fish population. After the eggs are collected, they are taken to the hatchery at the Montta fish farm in Muhos.

The eggs hatch in early May. Some of the young fish are released into the lower Oulujoki River, below the Merikoski plant, while others are raised in natural-food ponds until autumn. The year-old fish are released into the river in September and October. Efforts to restore the migratory whitefish population have been under way since the 1950s.

Dip-net fishing is permitted in the Merikoski lower channel until October 30. Fishers need a dip-net permit and must show proof of payment of the fisheries management fee when buying one.