Want advice on injured fish?
Photo: Johan Nilsson / TT

Want advice on injured fish? Swedish Veterinary Institute asks public to report sick, dead, or injured fish

If you see a fish that appears exhausted or sick, you can take action. The Swedish Veterinary Institute (SVA) is now calling for reports of fish that appear unwell. Reports from the public are extremely important, Deputy State Veterinarian Charlotte Axén says.

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Maybe you see a fish acting strangely and swimming in circles, or many dead barbs washed ashore. SVA wants your report. Through public reports of sick, dead, or injured fish, they get a better picture of the state of the country's fish populations.

It can give us an idea of whether there is any spread of infection or something else is wrong, says Charlotte Axén, deputy state veterinarian at SVA and fish expert.

Image and video

She encourages people to take a photo or video and fill out a form on the SVA website .

But if it is a seal or a porpoise, they should be reported to the Swedish Museum of Natural History.

Together with colleagues, she will soon travel to the Torne River to take samples of Torne salmon. They are doing well now, but in 2014 and 2016 things were worse. Then there was a large spread of infection believed to have been caused by an unusually large number of returning salmon, peaking at around 100,000 in 2016.

A little snow

With little snow this year, lower water levels are expected, which could lead to warmer water. This could increase the spread of infection, and it is also worse for salmon and trout that migrate into watercourses to spawn.

Anyone who finds injured or sick fish should leave them alone. A fishing license may be required to kill fish, and you also need to know how to do it correctly.

It sounds harsh, but the best thing is to let nature take its course, says Charlotte Axén.

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AuthorTT News AgencyEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for our readers
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