Fisheries industry

The fisheries industry value chain includes entrepreneurs and businesses operating in commercial fishing, aquaculture, fish processing and fish trade. In 2013, the production of the value chain amounted to approximately €900 million. The objective of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme for Finland 2014–2020 is that the annual turnover of the value chain exceeds a billion euros by 2020.

Links to further information on the value chain:

Finnish Fishermen’s Association (SAKL) (website in Finnish and Swedish)

Finnish Inland Fishermen’s Association (SSAK) (website in Finnish)

Federation of Finnish Fisheries Associations (KKL)

Finnish Fish Farmers’ Association (SKL) (website in Finnish)

The Finnish Fish Merchant Association (SKKL) (website in Finnish)

Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation / Fish Processing Industries’ Association (ETL)

Pro Fish Association

Support for the fisheries industry

Enterprises, organisations and other operators may apply for support for development and investment projects in accordance with the objectives of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme for Finland 2014–2020.

Finland has an insurance support system for marine fishing. More information on the system is available from the Southwest Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment and regional fisheries insurance associations.

Regulation of fishing

The Finnish Fishing Act and the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) aim to ensure the sustainability of fishery. The CFP includes measures to regulate commercial fishing at sea. At the EU level, fishing is regulated by allocating fishing opportunities and adopting provisions on other fishing regulation measures, such as regional and temporal fishing restrictions and provisions on fishing gear. At the national level, Finland has complemented the EU provisions on fisheries, for example, by regulating the commercial fishing of Baltic herring and Baltic sprat and salmon fishing.

Control of commercial fisheries and quota monitoring

EU Member States have the obligation to ensure that the provisions of the Common Fisheries Policy are implemented and compliance is efficiently monitored. The objectives of the provisions include the conservation of marine biodiversity and the sustainable exploitation of fish stocks. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry steers, finances and coordinates the control of commercial fisheries and prepares the related national legislation.

Commercial fishing at sea is controlled by the Southwest Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre), the Provincial Government of Åland and the Finnish Border Guard. The ELY Centre and the Provincial Government of Åland also control landings and the first-hand trade of fish. The Finnish Border Guard operates the Fisheries Monitoring Centre. Control measures and inspections concern fishing vessels and their fishing activities at sea, the landings of catches and the activities of first-hand buyers of fish. The traceability of fishery and aquaculture products and consumer information concerning the products are controlled by the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira and municipal food authorities.

 

Related links:

Finland’s quota situation

Contact information of control authorities

IUU fishing

 

Further information

Risto Lampinen, yksikön päällikkö 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Natural Resources Department, Fisheries Industry Unit Agriculture and Fisheries Council  Telephone:0295162458   Email Address:


Orian Bondestam, Ministerial Adviser 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Natural Resources Department, Fisheries Industry Unit Telephone:0295162494   Email Address:


Timo Halonen, Ministerial Adviser 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Natural Resources Department, Fisheries Industry Unit Telephone:0295162411   Email Address: