Marine areas - Pike 2025

Published 14 Oct 2026

The commercial coastal catch of northern pike has fluctuated considerably during the monitoring period (1980–2025) and declined after the increase that began in 2020. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) for northern pike has increased in almost all fishing gears, which may indicate that northern pike stocks have strengthened throughout the coastal area.

During 1980–2025, the commercial coastal catch of northern pike averaged 208 tonnes and ranged between 129 and 280 tonnes. No clear long-term trend has been evident in the catch; instead, catches have shown cyclical fluctuations. The positive trend that began in 2020 did not continue in 2025, and the catch (173 tonnes) was somewhat lower than in the previous year and below the long-term average (208 tonnes).

Examined by area, total commercial catches of northern pike have shown a long-term decline, particularly in the Archipelago Sea and the Gulf of Finland. However, this decline appears to have levelled off during recent years, although catches in 2025 were somewhat lower than in the previous year in both areas. Commercial northern pike catches have also declined over the long term in Åland, but the trend appears to have stabilised in recent years. In the northern marine areas, total catches reached a peak in 2023 and have since declined somewhat, but remain at a relatively high level. Today, the Bothnian Sea clearly accounts for the largest share of the northern pike catch (46% of the total catch), whereas the Archipelago Sea (14%) was previously of comparable importance as a fishing area.

Gillnet CPUE in the commercial fishery increased across all marine areas during the 2010s, although catches in the Archipelago Sea have shown substantial year-to-year variation. In the Archipelago Sea, CPUE was higher in 2025 than in the previous year, while in Åland it reached a record level. In the Gulf of Finland, CPUE declined slightly but remained at a very high level. In the northern areas, CPUE decreased sharply in 2025 but was still above average.

Since pike is generally not a target species in commercial coastal fisheries, the calculation of pike catch per unit effort (CPUE) is based on the total fishing effort of coastal commercial fisheries. As a result, fishing effort specifically directed at pike cannot be estimated reliably.

The recreational catch of northern pike is several times larger than the commercial catch. During recent years, recreational catches have been lower than previously in all marine areas, although no clear trend is evident in the Bothnian Bay. In the Gulf of Finland, the Bothnian Sea, and the Bothnian Bay, the estimated recreational catch in 2024 was the lowest on record. Recreational northern pike catches were previously highest in the Archipelago Sea, but in recent years the Bothnian Sea has been of equal importance, with the exception of the 2024 estimate.