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Baltic vimbaVimba vimba Vimba bream swims in schools along Finland’s coasts, with the exception of the northern most part of the Gulf of Bothnia. Fully grown it is about 30 centimetres long and is a valued prey fish. Vimba bream is currently mentioned on Finland’s endangered species list, as a species to watch. Vimba bream, is a migratory fish by nature, spawning in the gravel bottoms of streams. However, the damming and pollution of rivers has greatly affected it. Physically it is similar to bream, however its body is flatter and it has a snout-like protruding upper jaw. Its mouth, which is located under its head, is well suited for collecting gastropods, worms and insect larvae from bottoms.  
LampreyLampetra fluviatilis The lamprey is not a fish, but one of the most primitive known vertebrate. It belongs to the class of Agnatha and is unrelated to cartilaginous fish or bony fish. Lampreys are parasitic; using their circular mouth (resembling a suction cup); they attach themselves onto fish and suck their body fluids for nutrition. Adult lamprey live in the sea for a few years and then migrate in to fresh water streams to spawn, at which point they are about 25-30 centimetres. Their offspring spend between 3-5 years in streams before they undergo a metamorphosis and return to the sea as adults. There is also a lake form of lamprey, called Brook Lamprey, which inhabits inland waters. 
SmeltOsmerus eperlanus The smelt is a slender and translucent member of the salmon family, which is common along Finnish coastal and inland waters, except for northernmost part of Lapland. Its colouring is typical of fishes residing in wide-open waters, light at the bottom and silver-grayfish on top. The colouring helps it protect itself, from predators. Small smelt eat copepods and water fleas, but as they grow, they prefer shrimp and small fish. The smelt has sharp teeth in its mouth, which it uses to grab its prey. During the early spring, some smelt swim upstream in large schools to spawn, while others spawn in the shallow waters of coastal regions and lakes. Smelt may reach a length of up to 30 centimeters. 
VendaceCoregonus albula This North American import has adapted extremely well to conditions in Finland, indeed in certain regions it has fared better than the indigenous species, which has often succumbed to crayfish plague - a fungus-induced disease that in some parts has completely eradicated crayfish. The signal crayfish, however, is also able to transmit the disease. Signal crayfish are similar to local Finnish crayfish; they move at night, eat a mostly plant-based diet and live in similar bodies of water. The resemblance is based on their similar physical characteristics. However, the telltale sign of the signal crayfish is its massive claws with its light spots on the base. 
WhitefishCoregonus lavaretus Whitefish are a diverse species with a multitude of subspecies in various environments. This silvery lake fish is a relative of salmon; their smaller specimens greatly favour vendace. Whitefish differ from vendace, in that their lower jaw is shorter than their upper jaw. Depending on the subspecies, whitefish eat either small bottom-dwelling animals or small crustaceans. Whitefish spawn in autumn, in coastal regions, streams, lakes and rivers, the location varying according to subspecies. Whitefish are at home all over Finland, in cool and oxygen rich water. They can exceed 60 centimetres in length and weigh up to 12 kilograms. |
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