Perch (Perca fluviatilis), photo: Mark Harris

Fiskbarometern: The status of Sweden’s fish and shellfish stocks

News published:  12/03/2026

At Fiskbarometern, SLU presents the status and trends of fish and shellfish stocks in Swedish marine and freshwater environments. The assessments for 2025 are now complete. The situation is most concerning in the Baltic Proper, while perch in Lake Vänern are on the rise.

The status of the stocks shows no major changes compared with 2024. Of the 26 stocks managed nationally, 11 are assessed to be within biologically safe limits. Eight stocks are not within biologically safe limits, and for a further seven there is insufficient data to assess their status.

– The situation is most concerning in the Baltic Proper, where none of the eight assessed stocks, including perch, pike, and pike-perch, are within biologically safe limits, says Stefan Larsson, scientific editor of Fiskbarometern and senior environmental analysis specialist at the Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua).

When a stock is assessed to be outside biologically safe limits, it means that mortality, biomass, or size and age structure are at undesirable levels. In turn, this indicates that the stock is not in a sustainable condition and that management measures are needed.

Difficult situation for whitefish along the coast – perch in Lake Vänern on the rise

The situation for whitefish along the coast remains unsatisfactory. Of the three assessed stocks in the Baltic Sea, it is only in the Bothnian Bay that the status of whitefish is within biologically safe limits.

– In the large lakes, the situation generally looks better. The assessed stocks of pike and pike-perch are within safe limits. This also applies to perch in Lake Vänern, which shows stable or increasing trends in population density and in age and size distribution, says Martin Ogonowski, researcher at the Department of Aquatic Resources.

Lack of data – a challenge for stock assessments

For some species and stocks, such as burbot, and to some extent pike and trout along the coast, SLU lacks sufficient data to make assessments.

– Even when the available data are insufficient to assess certain species or stocks, it is important that this is clearly stated in Fiskbarometern. This helps improve data collection, stock assessments, and fisheries management, says Stefan Larsson.

Visit Fiskbarometern for assessments, analyses, and reports on 48 species and over 110 stocks.

This is Fiskbarometern

Fiskbarometern is an annual report produced by the Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua) at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, on behalf of the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. It describes the status and trends of more than 100 stocks of fish and shellfish in the sea, along the coast, and in the four large lakes: Vänern, Vättern, Mälaren, and Hjälmaren.

For each stock, biological assessments are presented based on indicators such as fishing mortality, biomass/abundance, and size and age structure. The report serves as an important knowledge base for authorities and decision-makers involved in fisheries management, but we hope that many more readers will also find it of interest.

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