The Åland Fisheries Management Center in Guttorp will release one million pike fry into the waters of Åland. A total of 30 million fry have been released since the centre was established 30 years ago.
Soon the pike fry will be released into Åland waters, something that has been done every year since 1994, says fisheries inspector Kaj Ådjers to Åland Radio.
– We have been stocking pike since 1994, and including this year’s fish, we have stocked 30 million pike, he says.
The pike are stocked in 46 different areas, covering all of Åland’s municipalities. However, it is difficult to know exactly how the released pike are doing, as it is not possible to tag such small fish.
No stocking in Sweden
– But we have a lot of interest, the demand is great, so we think it has a pretty big impact, Ådjers continues.
On the other hand, the pike population in Åland is larger than in Sweden, which Ådjers believes may be due to stocking. In Sweden, pike are not stocked.
– We have been stocking pike for quite a long time, but Sweden has not done it and they have had more problems with the pike population than we do.
Private individuals have also stocked pike, including Karl-Erik Sommarström. He has stocked about 14 million pike fry during almost the same period.