Seals and fish-eating birds have increased in the Baltic Sea and there is concern that they compete with fisheries. Using data from around year 2010, we compare consumption of different fish species by seals and birds to the catch in the commercial and recreational fishery. When applicable this is done at the geographical resolution of ICES subdivisions. Predation by birds and mammals likely has limited impact on the populations of the commercially most important species (herring, sprat, and cod). In the central and southern Baltic, seals and birds consume about as much flatfish as is caught by the fishery and competition is possible. Birds and seals consume 2-3 times as much coastal fish as is caught in the fishery. Many of these species are important to the fishery (e.g. perch and whitefish) and competition between wildlife and the fishery is likely, at least locally. Estimated wildlife consumption of pike, sea trout and pikeperch varies among ICES subdivisions and the degree of competition for these species may differ among areas. Competition between wildlife and fisheries need to be addressed in basic ecosystem research, management and conservation. This requires improved quantitative data on wildlife diets, abundances and fish production.

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Until July, post-smolt salmon Salmo salar (n=337; 129-375 mm L T , mean 225 mm) in the Bothnian Sea relied largely on surface fauna (mainly terrestrial insects). From August onwards, fish was the principal food type. The smallest piscivorous post-smolts were <200 mm, but the main shift to piscivory occurred at sizes of 240-320 mm. Piscivory was promoted by a large smolt size. Almost all one-sea-winter (1-SW) salmon (n=316; 278-524 mm, mean 397 mm) were piscivorous. Over 70% of the post-smolt and 96% of the 1-SW salmon with identifiable fish species in their stomachs had preyed on herring Clupea harengus. Other fish prey included the ten-spined Pungitius pungitius and three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus but no sprats Sprattus sprattus. The results support earlier observations of a close relationship between recruitment of herring and production of salmon in the Bothnian Sea, and of the crucial role of smolt size in determining the ability of feeding salmon for utilizing the food resources of the area. 2001 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

Salmon, Salmo salar L., fishing involves a broad range of interest groups and is thus a challenge for fisheries governance. This article focuses on the natural River Tornionjoki between Finland and Sweden, the most important wild salmon river in the Northern Baltic Sea. The marine salmon fisheries have been restricted to protect the declining wild salmon stocks and secure catches for fishing tourism. River fisheries interest groups have been absent from the salmon committees, but have taken other measures to influence salmon fisheries politics. This social movement has achieved its aims only partly, because of counteractions by the coastal commercial fishers and their associations. A forum for enabling dialogue between stakeholders is recommended to reduce tensions between the commercial fishery and tourism industry.

Catches of anadromous whitefish in the Gulf of Bothnia have declined since the early 1990s. It is generally assumed that the cause is overfishing. The professional fishermen interviewed in the present study were united in the opinion that it is necessary to set limits on the fishing of whitefish, but had differing views about the means of achieving this. These different arguments involved separate whitefish stocks, various types of gear and different motives for fishing. Most of the professional fishermen accepted a minimum mesh size for gill nets. Other means proposed included setting limits on non‐professional fishing and sales of catches. There were conflicting attitudes about seasonal restrictions because their experiences with fishing restrictions for salmon had been negative. On the whole, decision‐making requires more regional information on whitefish stocks and fishing, but also on the social and economic flexibility of fishermen.