FISH OF THE PASVIK RIVER
Altogether 15 species of fish from 11 families live in the Pasvik River System (Kristoffersen & Sterud 1985; Nost et al., 1993; Amundsen et al., 1993). However, only 7 species were caught in our gillnet samples and 2 species (nine-spined sticklebacs - Pungitius pungitius L. and minnows - Phoxinus phoxinus L.) appeared to be in stomach of predatory fish and in hydrobiological kick samples:

Salmonidae

1. Brown trout - Salmo trutta L.

Esoxidae

5. Pike - Esox lucius

Coregonidae

2. Whitefish - Coregonus lavaretus L.

3. Vendace - Coregonus albula L.

Percidae

6. Perch - Perca fluviatilis L.

Thymallidae

4. Grayling - Thymallus thymallus

Gadidae

7. Burbot - Lota lota L.

TROUT

Trout was caught practically in all localities of the Pasvik River system, but they are more numerous in tributaries of the river and its upper reaches. The trout was caught by size of 12.9 - 56.2 cm and weight 20.5 - 1947 g, age 2+ - 7+ years. Approximately 30 % of total numbers of trout had a fish farms label. Fruitfulness (number of eggs) was 800 - 8200 eggs depending on the sizes of fish.

VENDACE

Vendace is a new species for the Pasvik River System (Amundsen et al., 1993). This species was introduced in the lake Inari (Finland) and is, at present distributed in the Pasvik River System. In our catch vendace had a length of 8.2 - 16.9 cm and average weight of 14.2 g. In a middle part of the Pasvik River system fish at age of 2+ was dominated, however fish more older than 3+ were not found. Also in our samples fish at age of 0+ were away.

PIKE

Pike was caught in all localities of the Pasvik River system. It prevailed on sites with macrophytes. The fish in our catch were 11.7 - 51.0 cm, with a weight of 18.5 - 1210.0 g. Individuals in age 3+ - 4+ dominanted in downstream of the Pasvik River system.

PERCH

Perch was found in all regions of the Pasvik River system with increacing numbers down in the system.

The contents
The following chapter