Finnish Small-Scale Fisheries: Marginalisation or Revival?

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries continue a long tradition of natural resource use along the Finnish coast, archipelagos and in lakes. Moreover, despite larger-scale open sea fisheries in the Baltic Sea being important when considering landing quantities, 96% of Finnish fishers are small-scale. However, seasonality and uncertainty of income limit small-scale fishers’ chances of competing in the scale of production with fish farming and open sea fisheries. Although the number of commercial fishers and the economic weight of the profession have decreased, a fishing livelihood still generates notable economic and cultural value in many localities. Finnish small-scale fisheries are often operated on a family basis with pluriactive household strategies that adapt to changing circumstances. During recent decades, post-productivist practices, interests and values, such as biodiversity conservation and recreation, have challenged Finnish small-scale fisheries. In addition to tighter fishing restrictions implemented in line with the EU Common Fisheries Policy, environmental policies have also increasingly influenced small-scale fisheries. As a result, protected fish predator populations are considered substantial problems for fisheries. Moreover, fishers feel powerless – they consider that decisions are made far from the realities of small-scale fisheries. On the other hand, consumers’ high appreciation of fish as a healthy and environmentally-friendly source of food may open new opportunities for the revival of profitable fishing livelihoods. This chapter focuses on the status, challenges and future opportunities of Finnish small-scale fisheries. The data consist of statistics, policy documents, research and newspaper articles, as well as personal interviews made in case study areas.