Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic salmon: a regional perspective to the socio-economic benefits associated with a keystone species

• Main Authors: Kulmala, Soile, Haapasaari, Päivi Elisabet, Karjalainen, Timo P., Kuikka, Sakari, Pakarinen, Tapani, Parkkila, Katja, Romakkaniemi, Atso, Vuorinen, Pekka J.
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Nordic Council of Ministers 2013
• Subjects: Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/7d4ae351-12ad-4ce5-bd46-9b3c6fe127ef; http://img.teebweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/TEEB-case_TEEBNordic_Ecosystem-services-provided-by-Baltic-salmon.pdf

Key Message: Baltic salmon (Salmo salar L.) is one of the keystone migratory species in the Baltic Sea.In the pastsalmon played a centralrole in the economyand culture of the region. However, salmon population collapsed becauseoflogging, dams for hydropower production, pollution and overfishing. Todaysalmon is still of great cultural importanceasshownfor exampleby estimates of public spending forhabitat restorationandWTP by angler.Estimates suggest that the cultural services of salmon are greater than the economic value of commercial salmon landingswith a net present value rangingfrom 6 million EUR to 25 million EUR (ie 0.9-3.6 million EUR / year) in Denmark, Finland, Poland and Sweden for2009-2015. Baltic salmon plays also an important role in reducing sedimentation, regulating food webs and maintaining the general ecological balance of ecosystems Maintaining and restoring the salmon population requires concerted efforts for habitat restoration and conservation in rivers and the sea.