Promotion of the fishing industry

Commercial fishing

The water areas owned by the City of Kuopio are utilised by various operators. Fishermen can sell their catch to retailers or wholesalers after registering as commercial fishers with the ELY Centre. For Kuopio residents, this means that local fish is also available to those who do not have the time to fish.

The Fishing Act classifies commercial fishermen in groups I and II according to the scope of their activities. Professional fishermen under the previous Act are now commercial fishermen under group I of the current Act, their turnover exceeding EUR 10,000 on average. Commercial fishermen under group II are also entitled to sell their catch, but their fishing is less extensive. Commercial fishermen are also entitled to obtain fishing permits for trawls and nets exceeding 240 m in length.

The City of Kuopio holds shares in the water areas of several bodies of joint owners. The City may transfer its fishing rights based on its shareholding to, for example, commercial fishermen. The City has agreed on the number of transferrable fishing gear units and other practical matters with a number of nearby bodies of joint owners.

If a fisherman needs access to the waters of the body of joint owners, the City can find out whether the City and the body of joint owners could reach an agreement on the transfer of fishing rights held by the City to the fisherman.

Read more about the fisheries industry on the ELY Centre website (in Finnish)

Flaked ice for fishing

The City of Kuopio provides flaked ice for fishing. The ice can be retrieved from the storage in Kuopionlahti. You can ask for the key from the city waters manager. The fee depends on the utilisation rate.

Kalaryssäys fish market

Kuopion Kalaryssäys is an annual fish market event organised on the second weekend of September. The event held on the Kuopio Harbour Square attracts dozens of merchants and tens of thousands of visitors each year. Read more about the market on the I Love Kuopio website (in Finnish).