Read on for an update on what’s been going on in GAP2’s Swedish case study over the last twelve months.
We are currently analysing data and writing reports about joint activities of the case study.
We are facing the significant issue of dioxin contamination in Lake Vattern, which could prevent marketing of the fish. High-level authorities have recently asked for our recommendations on this problem. Preliminary analysis shows that there is no good correlation between size and contamination. Actually, contamination differs over time and between populations and therefore, we will collect local knowledge (LK) of the fishers to distinguish different stocks and spawning populations, allowing the fishers to target dioxin-free fish.
We currently have an MSc student involved in GAP2, who is assessing economic, social and ecological measures of sustainability, analysing how new governmental laws influence the whitefish fishery. Also, we are studying the influence of new species on the food-web of the lake.
A paper focusing on gillnet selectivity and reducing by-catch was recently published, with support from GAP2.
