<< Tutte le notizieAppeals regarding the Kemijoki and Iijoki fish stock management decisions River Kemijoki and River Iijoki are large rivers in Lapland and Northern Ostrobothnia. 550 km long River Kemijoki used to be one of the most productive or even the best salmon river in Europe. After the construction of the Isohaara hydroelectric power plant at the estuary of River Kemijoki in late 1940s salmon and other species could not migrate upstream anymore. River Kemijoki is almost completely harnessed by hydropower plants; there are 8 of them in the main channel. Total number of power plants in whole Kemijoki water system is 21. In River Iijoki constructions of power plants begun in 1960s. Today there are 11 power plants total.Administrative Agency for Northern Finland issued its decision in July 2024, in response to the change applications submitted by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Lapland in 2017, concerning the stocking and fish stock management obligations for the Iijoki and Kemijoki rivers. Hydropower companies, PVO-Vesivoima Oy and Kemijoki Oy, submitted written appeals against the agency’s decisions on the Iijoki and Kemijoki rivers. Administrative Agency ordered, that the owners of hydroelectric power plants must examine and plan constructions that will make possible salmon and sea trout to run upstream to reproduction areas that are still left on the water system and smolts and adult fish to migrate downstream to sea. 300 km long River Ounasjoki, the biggest tributary of River Kemijoki, flowing north from Rovaniemi, is a free zone and the most potential spawning area for salmon. Agency also ordered that hydropower companies must stock much more juvenile salmon and trout than so far. Several appeals Also the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Lapland, municipalities of Eastern Lapland and environmental organizations have submitted their appeals. They are not satisfied with the decision. WWF Finland's fish expert Matti Ovaska says that fish ways should be natural and practical. In decision there are only salmon and trout noticed even though power plants have a direct effect on many other species too. Ovaska also wonders why fish ways are not demanded at all on the river zone between Rovaniemi and Kemijärvi where there are 3 hydroelectric power plants. River Kemijoki
River Iijoki Photo: Matarakoski hydroelectric power plant in River Kitinen, a tributary of River Kemijoki. Photo: Ismo Kolari. (10.09.2024) | 
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