2011

2014

The primary goal is to establish a live gene bank of the River Mustajoki trout to the Laukaa Aquaculture station. By means of this action it is possible to preserve the native south-eastern population of sea trout. When appropriate, the hatchery stock will be utilised for returning trout to its former distribution area in sea-running rivers in South-East Finland. The purpose is to replace the non-native trout stocks currently used for stocking in the South-East Finland. The DNA-dataset of the trout in the Gulf of Finland will also be supplemented by sampling trout in rivers and sea. Furthermore, the ecological condition of the target rivers, especially River Mustajoki, but also River Rakkolanjoki, will be followed by regular research of their fish fauna. One goal is also to enhance the establishment of salmon population in River Rakkolanjoki by stocking smolts to the Finnish side of the river. After the migration obstacles have been removed the stocked salmon may return from the sea to breed in the headwaters of the river. The fish tagging knowhow in FGFRI will be disseminated to the Russian colleagues using ?learning-by-doing?. Up-to-date information about the river environment and the importance of its good condition will be disseminated in restoration ecocamps. The project is part of a Finnish-Russian collaborative project ?RIFCI, Rivers and fish ? our common interest? (http://www.ymparisto.fi/default.asp?contentid=385352&lan=FI) led by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Southeast Finland.