Waters are warming – Avoid fishing for salmonids

The cool summer has turned into a heatwave, and water temperatures are rising rapidly. Warm waters are stressful for salmonids, and they may not recover after being released. Metsähallitus therefore recommends avoiding fishing for salmonids and instead targeting species that tolerate heat better, such as pikeperch, perch, and pike.

Fish metabolism accelerates in warm water, increasing their oxygen consumption. Salmonids such as salmon, vendace, arctic char, brown trout, and grayling are particularly vulnerable, as they tolerate elevated temperatures poorly. Temperatures above 21°C are already quite difficult for many salmonids.

Fishing causes stress to fish. If a fish must be released back into the water, its chances of recovery are significantly lower in warm conditions. It is also possible that the fish may die due to stress and lack of oxygen after release. For this reason, fishing for salmonids should be avoided in areas where undersized or protected trout, salmon, or grayling might be caught and must be released.

If temperatures continue to rise and forecasts do not predict cooling, Metsähallitus may suspend fishing permit sales to ensure sustainable fishing. You can read more about this here.

Many Metsähallitus fishing sites have thermometers that allow anglers to monitor water temperatures themselves. You can view the thermometers at map.sensormonitor.fi.

Also see the responsible angler’s guidelines for considering water temperature.