Integrating environmental characteristics and fisheries management in Northern Finland river impoundments

Three large rivers in northern Finland, the Kemijoki, Iijoki, and Oulujoki rivers, were dammed for hydropower generation in the 1940s-1960s. Due to differences in environmental conditions, these impoundments require detailed study to produce guidelines for fisheries management. Water quality, hydrology, vegetation, and geomorphology data of 16 impoundments were gathered. Shoreline landuse data were derived from maps, and fish assemblage data were collected by exploratory fishing and from the annual fishery statistics. The relations among environmental variables were studied, and a classification of the impoundments was developed by hierarchical cluster analysis. Consequently, three impoundment groups with different environmental characteristics were formed. Significant differences among impoundment groups were also detected in fish yield. We conclude that the variation in environmental conditions, together with differences in fish communities in the impoundments were important enough to justify the claim that impoundments of different types require different management strategies.