Salmon in Subdivisions 22–31 (Main Basin and Gulf of Bothnia)

On the basis of the MSY approach, ICES advises a TAC of not more than 54 000 salmon for 2012. This reflects a 50% reduction in fishing effort compared to 2010.

Salmon management should be based on the assessments of the status of individual stocks in the rivers. Fisheries on mixed stocks, either in coastal waters or open sea areas, pose particular difficulties for management. These fisheries cannot target only those stocks that are close to or above their targets, but will also exploit weaker stocks. Fisheries in estuaries and rivers are more likely to fulfil this requirement.

Salmon stocks in the rivers Rickleån and Öreälven in the Gulf of Bothnia, Emån in southern Sweden, and in a majority of the rivers in the southeastern Main Basin are especially weak and need longer-term stock rebuilding measures, including fisheries restrictions, habitat restoration, and removal of physical barriers. In order to maximize the potential recovery of these stocks, further decreases in exploitation are required along their feeding and spawning migration routes. The offshore fishery in the Main Basin targets all weak salmon stocks on their feeding migration. The coastal fishery targets weak stocks from northern rivers when the salmon pass the Åland Sea and Gulf of Bothnia on their spawning migration.