Inari research infrastructure

Inari research infrastructure is the northernmost fish farm in the European Union and its area of operation in Sámi territory is bordered by Norway in the West and North and Russia in the East. It is located on the banks of the river Juutuanjoki in the Paatsjoki river basin, which flows into the Arctic Ocean.

Inari’s main tasks are the conservation of regionally valuable fish stocks and the management of the fishery obligation for the regulation of Lake Inari. The main products are fish eggs and reared fry for stocking Lake Inari and surrounding waters. Broodstock farming includes brown trout (River Ivalojoki, River Juutuajoki, River Siuttajoki), Arctic char (Lake Inari) and bottom whitefish (River Ivalojoki) from local species and stocks. Broodstock are regularly replenished from the wild.

In Inari, the research focuses on monitoring and improving the effectiveness of the stocking obligation. All three stocking species reproduce naturally in the area, which is why 100% tagging of the planting stock is the cornerstone of the research. Various experimental studies that aim to improve the effectiveness of stockings are ongoing. Research covers the entire life cycle of fish, from fry to spawning stock. In addition to the core activities, research has included studies on the genetic diversity of trout stocks in collaboration with the University of Turku. 

• The hatchery facilities (including the isolation unit) contain troughs, trays, tubs, and funnels suitable for egg incubation and fry hatching, as well as the necessary tools for the care of eggs and fry (e.g., a live egg sorting machine).
• Three separate fish rearing halls house a total of 78 fiberglass tanks ranging from 4.0 to 12.5 m² suitable for fry rearing, and 26 tanks of 28 m². Additionally, there are 24 tanks of 50 m² with steel/concrete bottoms suitable for broodstock rearing. The halls are equipped with the necessary tools for fish handling (nets, tubs, scales, sector gates, tagging equipment) and tank-specific maintenance tools for fish and tanks (siphons, brushes). Feeding can be adjusted per tank using an automatic feeding system.
• Ten natural food ponds, totaling 203 hectares.
• A freshwater facility, primarily supplied with water from the Juutuanjoki River.
• Since 2021, the facility has had a continuous and stable supply of cool groundwater (max 9 L/s), efficient recirculation of rearing water back into the tanks after micro-sieving and aeration, limited intake of raw water from the Juutuanjoki River into the system, and controlled discharge from the system. The cool water supply is primarily directed to temperature-sensitive fish species (e.g., Arctic char).
• Maximum flow rate in the flow-through system is 650 L/s.
• The reared fish species represent all developmental stages and multiple age groups: Inari Arctic char, several brown trout stocks from rivers flowing into Lake Inari, and European whitefish.
• The facility is classified as a P1-level unit by the Finnish Food Authority’s fish health service.
• The facility includes water supply systems, control devices, tank systems, feeding systems, fish handling equipment, and tagging equipment.

• Boats for stocking and sampling, snowmobiles and fishing gear.

• Monitoring research of fisheries obligations 
• Recreational fishing
• Water management implementation
• Vendace monitoring