The salmonid spawning season has begun – please be responsible!

The salmonid spawning season has begun – please be responsible!

Salmon, sea trout, brown trout and whitefish have started spawning in Latvian rivers. From 1 October, fishing in salmon rivers is prohibited, as at this time the fish move to their spawning grounds to produce offspring.

Salmonids are found in the rivers of the Gauja, Irbe, Salaca and Venta basins, many of which are in specially protected nature areas. The Salaca, the most important salmon river in the eastern part of the central Baltic Sea basin, is no exception – it is part of the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve and the “Salacas ieleja” (Salaca Valley) Nature Park, an important area for the protection of several species and habitats of the EU Habitats Directive.

Why must fish be especially protected during the spawning season?

Every year, salmonids return to the rivers where they were born to fulfil their most important task in life – to produce offspring. However, only a small proportion manage to survive at sea and return to their natural spawning grounds. On average, only about 50 young salmon return to the river several years later from one spawning pair. That is why every fish matters for the continuation of the species, and illegal catching is subject to criminal liability as well as compensation of 715 euros for each protected fish caught and killed.

Main threats

The distribution of salmonids in Latvia has declined significantly in recent decades because of several factors:

• river dams and barriers created by small hydropower plants,
• water pollution and warming,
• low survival rates of young fish,
• loss of suitable spawning grounds, as rapids become overgrown with a dense turf of common club-rush.

To improve spawning success, rapids restoration works are being carried out within the LIFE IS SALACA project, removing the club-rush root turf on more than 20 hectares. Salmon spawning can already be seen in the restored sections, which confirms the importance of this work for biodiversity conservation.

Increased inspections

During the spawning season, environmental inspectors of the Nature Conservation Agency monitor spawning grounds in specially protected areas both day and night. Modern technologies are used – drones with thermal cameras and video surveillance in hard-to-reach places – and the State Police, municipal police and the National Guard are also involved.

Rules for anglers

• Salmon and sea trout – keeping them is prohibited all year round (except at certain licensed sites from 1 January to 30 September).
• In salmon rivers from 1 October until the end of the spawning season – fishing is completely prohibited.
• Brown trout (lake trout) – may not be kept from 1 February to 30 April.
• Brook trout – from 1 September to 30 November.
• Whitefish and vendace – from 1 October to 30 November.

Fishing ban periods for individual rivers and lakes are set out in Annex 3 of the Regulations on Fishing, Crayfishing and Underwater Hunting.

A call to the public

The salmonid spawning season is a crucial period for the conservation of these species. The LIFE IS SALACA project and the Nature Conservation Agency invite everyone to be responsible – follow the rules, protect Latvia’s rivers and take care of biodiversity!