The last time Finns were as enthusiastic about fishing was 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic spoiled many other holiday plans. This information is based on payment of fisheries management fees, or the so-called national fishing permit: 45,000 had been purchased by the end of March, which is 33 per cent higher than the average. The fact that young people are paying more daily fees than ever before is a new phenomenon.
A total of 288,000 fisheries management fees were paid last year, for a total sum of 9.6 million euros. The early part of this year has seen a clear increase in the number of fisheries management fees in comparison to last year.
The fisheries management fee can be paid for a day, a week, or a calendar year.
The daily fee is popular with young people
Daily fees are particularly popular with people under the age of 30, who in practice account for half of all daily fees. The greatest demand for these is during the summer holiday season.
Approximately 71,000 daily fees were paid last year, which is significantly more than the 5-year average of 45,000 and 15 per cent more than in the previous year. However, this is not a new phenomenon and the number of daily fees and their share of all fisheries management fees have increased steadily year by year, reaching about 25 per cent last year.
Although short-term fisheries management fees are particularly popular among young people, other fishers also start buying them in late autumn. At that time, the typical purchaser of a daily fee is a 30-45-year-old recreational fisher, who may be hoping to catch salmonids. In any case, the number of daily fees has been steadily increasing in all age groups.
“The increase in daily fees has been significant for several years and is particularly clear among young people, where the numbers are higher than in other age groups. This may indicate two types of progress: we might be reaching young people better and the efforts of various operators has increased the popularity of fishing,” says Jaakko Haapakoski, Senior Specialist, Fisheries.
Suomu magazine is distributed to people who pay the annual fee
The annual fee is popular among people over the age of 45, who account for more than half of all annual fees. The 64+ age group that is now liable to pay the fee following the most recent legislative amendment has paid more fisheries management fees than expected. Despite this, the number of people paying the annual fee decreased by about 3 per cent in comparison to the previous year.
Everyone who pays the annual fee receives the Suomu magazine (Fena in Swedish), and their fishing permit will be delivered as part of the back cover of the magazine. Starting in April, the magazine is mailed monthly to everyone who has paid the annual fee by the end of the previous month.
Approximately 185,000 Suomu magazines were delivered last year.
Read more about the topic on Eraluvat.fi!
Further information: Jaakko Haapakoski, Senior Specialist, Fisheries, Metsähallitus, +358 40 190 8717