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17.12.2025 | The organisation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will be reformed, with the new organisational structure taking effect in the beginning of 2026. The reform was based on the Ministry’s strategy, where the aim is that Finland will be a leading country in a sustainable bioeconomy by 2035.

12.8.2025 | The Siikajoki Vapaaksi environmental association is set to restore the Pöyrynkoski rapids, enabling the free ascent of migratory fish in the river. The project was formally launched on Tuesday 12 August at Revonlahti School in Siikajoki, North Ostrobothnia. Formally conveying favourable greetings to the event, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah noted that the project was a superb example of a remediation exercise promoted by local parties and prepared in broad partnership.

6.5.2025 | The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the European Commission disagree on the interpretations concerning scientific salmon fishery and the deduction in the salmon quota by the European Commission. By the transfer of quotas that has now been made, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry ensures that coastal fishers will not suffer from the unfounded deduction in Finland’s salmon quota by the European Commission.

Fishing restrictions and management of fish resources The so-called common fishing rights comprise angling, jigging, ice fishing and lure fishing subject to the fisheries management fee. However, even these types of fishing are subject to certain ...

Recreational fishing Finland provides great opportunities for catching different species of fish in varying environments. Each year, some 1.5 million people fish in Finnish waters. Recreational fishing is the most important nature activity for Fin...

IUU-fishing Preventing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing The Council and Commission regulations establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing became applicable in the EU Membe...

Management of fish resources The key objective of the Fishing Act is to regulate fishing rights and methods, the management of fish stocks and the fisheries administration in terms of the use and management of fish resources. In the 2010 Red List ...

National Fish Passage Strategy Finland’s National Fish Passage Strategy aims to enhance the viability of threatened and endangered migratory fish stocks. Its mission is to shift the focus from fish stocking to supporting and rehabilitating the nat...

Use and distribution of fishing management fees The annual appropriations for promoting fisheries are collected as fishing management fees paid by fishers. The Fishing Act governs the use of the funds. According to section 91 of the Fishing Act, t...

25.1.2024 | Today, on 25 January 2024, the Government has appointed M.Sc. (agriculture and forestry) Pekka Pesonen to the post of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for the period from 1 February 2024 to 31 January 2029. The term of the current Permanent Secretary Jaana Husu-Kallio ends on 31 January 2024.

State fisheries management fee Finland applies a fisheries management fee system which is based on the Fishing Act. Fishermen aged 18 to 69 years engaged in fishing other than angling, jigging and ice fishing must pay a fisheries management fee to...

31.8.2021 | Funding is now being collected to purchase the Myllykoski hydropower plant in Kuusamo. The idea is to demolish the plant so that threatened lake trout will be able to migrate freely to large areas of streams and lakes. A binding preliminary agreement was signed and the first deposit paid to Koskienergia Koskivoima Oy on 31 August. The project receives support from the migratory fish programme NOUSU of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Fisheries industry The fisheries industry value chain includes entrepreneurs and businesses operating in commercial fishing, aquaculture, fish processing and fish trade. The vision of the Finnish fish promotion Programme is that in 2035, Finns wil...

Key legislation The key objective of the Finnish Fishing Act is to regulate fishing rights and methods, the management of fish stocks and the fisheries administration in terms of the use and management of fish resources. The Fishing Act reform has...

Fisheries Strategies and programmes » There are different strategies and programmes to secure the conditions for recreational fishing, commercial fisheries and the management of fishing waters. Key legislation » The key objective of the Finnish Fi...

Restrictions at Lake Saimaa The Saimaa ringed seal, a sub-species of ringed seal, has been classified as critically endangered (CR). Under the Finnish Nature Conservation Decree, the Saimaa ringed seal is a species under strict protection and unde...

Strategies and programmes The Finnish Fishing Act requires us to ensure the good status of fish stocks. The objective of managing fish stocks should be to use fish resources in an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable manner. Multian...

Species-specific strategies and programmes According to the Red List of Finnish Species (2010), the migratory fish sea trout and landlocked Atlantic salmon are classified as critically endangered, and anadromous whitefish, eel and freshwater popul...

Biodiversity Biodiversity refers to the entire spectrum of life: genetic variation within species, the abundance of species and the diversity of their habitats. Halting the loss of biodiversity is a global target. Biodiversity in sustainable use a...

Sustainable development secures good living conditions also for the future generations The core principle in sustainable development is to secure good living conditions for the present and future generations. Efforts are made to strike a balance b...