Fish Route Connection of the Lieksanjoki River to Russia (Lake Salmon of Pielinen to the River Lieksanjoki)
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

This project was a sub-project of the framework programme Lake Salmon of Pielinen to the River Lieksanjoki. The aim was to create a lake salmon image and safeguard the diversity and natural life cycle of the species concerned. This was to be achieved by building the fish route to the river Lieksanjoki.

Main activities

• Creation of the general plan for the fish routes and the construction plan for the old river bed in Lieksanjoki River, • Acquirement of monitoring programme and the trap solution for the allurement river test, building of the weir, • Implementation of the allurement river test, • Conducting a vegetation research report on the Lieksanjoki River project area, • Obtainment of the permits needed from owners of the water areas and shorelines and from the Eastern Finland Environmental Permit Authority • Participation in fish planting, • Catching of spawning in Lieksanjoki River, • Establishment of Lake Salmon Info Points • Assessing the fishing tourism possibilities, producing digital material.

Achievements

The project created the general plan for the fish routes and the construction plan for the old river bed in Lieksanjoki River as planned. During the planning, a monitoring programme for the attraction channel experiment was ordered. A vegetation research report was also ordered for the Lieksanjoki River project area. Permits for the attraction channel experiment and the weir were obtained from owners of the water areas and shorelines. The environmental permit to construct the fish routes was obtained from the Eastern Finland Environmental Permit Authority in accordance with the Water Act. The project had the weir built and implemented the attraction flow experiment. In addition, it was responsible for designing and ordering the trap solution used in the attraction flow experiment. The trap solution was tested in the lower section of the Lieksanjoki River old river base by the attraction flow weir for one month. The fish route was implemented as planned in the Lieksanjoki River old river base scenic dams. So-called Lake Salmon Info Points were established via the project at Lieksa Tourist Services, Koli’s ‘Ukko’ Heritage Centre, and Ruunaa Visitor Centre. The Ruunaa point featured a lake salmon aquarium and a small-scale photo exhibition of the project activities. Both were maintained by the project. The Info Point at ‘Ukko’ Heritage Centre was in conjunction with the Get to Know the Lake Salmon project exhibition. In addition, the History of the Lake Salmon exhibition by Kalastusmuseoyhdistys ry was also on display at the location. The Kalastajan Torppa Information Centre was opened in cooperation with Koski-Jaakko Ky, a tourism company, providing information regarding fishing and white-water rafting in Lieksanjoki River in addition to functioning as a Lake Salmon Info Point and sales location for lake salmon products. Fishing tourism opportunities at rapids on the other side of the border were assessed at Tuulijoki River during an organised trip. Tourism cooperation contacts were also created with Mujejärvi region. As a result of the project, the diversity of the genotype of lake salmon is secured and the project has created facilities for individual nature tourism entrepreneurship in the region of Pielinen-Karelia. Fishing tourism opportunities at rapids on the other side of the border were assessed at Tuulijoki River during an organised trip. Tourism cooperation contacts were also created with Mujejärvi region.