Poor food supplies in the sea have starved the herring. However, there were clear signs of improved herring condition in the autumn test trawls.
The condition of herring in the Bothnian Sea has improved since last year.
A research team from the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) examined the status of herring and sprat stocks during its annual Baltic Sea survey at the turn of September and October.
The survey showed a clear improvement in the condition of herring, although the condition of catch-size herring has not yet returned to average levels.
The weak condition of herrings is explained by the lack of food. There was also a shortage of large herring and whitefish among the test troll catch, which are important in the diet of large herring.
– Five years ago, there were masses of these crustaceans, and they were literally bursting out of herrings’ mouths. Herrings were fat back then. Last year we were at the other extreme, that is, there were none. However, the situation has now turned for the better, Raitaniemi states.