| Brief description |
Development of scientific-technical support for the reproduction of fish stocks in the cross-border waters between Lithuania and the Russian Federation
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| Region | External EU borders |
| Countries | Lithuania (LT) – Russian Federation (RU) |
| Location | LT: Curonian lagoon (northern end), Lake Vištytis
RU: Curonian lagoon (southern end), Kalliningrad Oblast The rivers Nemunas and Šešupė (common to Lithuania and Russia) |
| Type of project partners | Regional government units Educational institutions |
| Size (total budget including EU grants) | € 200,000 to € 500,000 |
| Main themes | Research, technological development, innovation and ICT Agriculture and rural development |
| Keywords (Types of Activities) | Education and training Research and studies |
| Keywords (Aspects of Good Practice) | Genuine cross-border dimension Genuine cross-border impact Innovative |
| Background and Objectives | The Curonian Lagoon is separated from the Baltic Sea by a curved sand-duned stretch of land known as the Curonian Spit which stretches some 98 km from the Sambian Peninsula on the south to its northern tip next to a narrow strait, across which is the port city of Klaipeda on the mainland of Lithuania. The northern 52 km long stretch of the Curonian Spit peninsula belongs to Lithuania, while the rest lies within the Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by the two countries.
The aim of the project was to create an integrated international water bio-resources management and restoration system seeking to protect and revive the diversity of water fauna, to increase the efficiency of fisheries and to strengthen the cooperation between Lithuania and the Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation in the field of fisheries management. |
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| Main activities | The main tasks of the project were to assess the ecological state not only of the Curonian Lagoon, but also of lake Vištytis and the rivers Nemunas and Šešupė which are shared by both countries, to prepare the fisheries cadastre on the basis of GIS technologies, to assess the needs for artificial breeding and biological-ichtyological substantiation of fish stock restoration programmes, to prepare the bilateral conception and programmes of bio-resources management and restoration considering the international and national laws, and to establish a bank of biotechnologies of fish stock restoration.
In order to achieve optimal results the project partners purchased modern equipment for investigation and fish breeding. They also renovated the bureau of the Šilutė district fishermen association and carried out a number of training activities for fishermen and scientists in Lithuania and Russia. The project also offered other opportunities for improving cross-border contacts and creating conditions for further cooperation. For example, students from the Kaliningrad State Technical University visited fish farms in Lithuania and Poland and had an opportunity to see in practice the things they were learning about. They also received training in the Stanisław Sakowicz inland fisheries institute in Olsztyn (PL). |
| Main results | This project addressed an issue which by its nature is best tackled from a cross-border perspective. All three countries (LT, RU, PL) live by the same basin of fish resources and share common problems and together they can solve problems much more effectively.
Fish knows no borders. For instance, eels live and grow mostly in the Russian part of the lagoon and when the time comes for spawning they go to the Baltic Sea via Lithuanian waters and are caught there. Another example of why cooperation can produce results in this field is that much more valuable fish is needed in the Couronian Lagoon in order to preserve private fishing enterprises: eels, vimbas, pikes, etc. If only one country would be trying to let more of those fish into the open reservoirs, it would not be enough. That is why it made sense to join forces. The project won the 2nd prize in the Russian ecological competition EkoMir 2009 among more than 300 participants in the category “Preservation of biodiversity and improving the landscape conditions”. |
| Aspects of good practice |
This project addressed an issue which by its nature is best tackled from a cross-border perspective. All three countries (LT, RU, PL) live by the same basin of fish resources and share common problems and together they can solve problems much more effectively. Fish knows no borders. For instance, eels live and grow mostly in the Russian part of the lagoon and when the time comes for spawning they go to the Baltic Sea via Lithuanian waters and are caught there. Another example of why cooperation can produce results in this field is that much more valuable fish is needed in the Couronian Lagoon in order to preserve private fishing enterprises: eels, vimbas, pikes, etc. If only one country would be trying to let more of those fish into the open reservoirs, it would not be enough. That is why it made sense to join forces. The project won the 2nd prize in the Russian ecological competition EkoMir 2009 among more than 300 participants in the category “Preservation of biodiversity and improving the landscape conditions”. |
| Start and completion dates: |
September 2006 – January 2008
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| More information | http://www.interreg3a.org/interreg/images/stories/dokumentai/Galutinis%20knygos%20maketas.pdf
http://www.klgtu.ru/en/research/ http://www.interreg3a.org/interregen/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=177&Itemid=1 |
| Partner | RU:
Kaliningrad State Technical University, Department of Ichthyology and Ecology, 1 Sovietsky Prospect, 236022 Kaliningrad, Russia Contact: Jevgeny Chrustalev, Director of the Laboratory in Svetly, Kalliningrad, Russia T: +7 (4012) 99 59 01, F: +7 (4012) 91 68 46 E: rector@klgtu.ru |
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| Partner | Lithuanian State Pisciculture and Fisheries Research Centre, Lithuania.
Association of fishing enterprises “Lampetra”, Šilutė, Lithuania. |
