saalismäärät

Saalismäärät is a Finnish statistical term that refers to the quantities of fish or other aquatic organisms caught during a given period. In fisheries statistics, saalismäärät are typically expressed in units such as metric tons or numbers of individuals and are recorded for each species. They are often broken down by fishing gear, fishing area, and time period (for example, month, quarter, or year).

Data on saalismäärät are collected from multiple sources, including fishing logbooks, vessel reporting, and, in some regions, at-sea observers or dockside checks. The figures are subject to quality control by national authorities and may be harmonized for international reporting. Saalismäärät serve as a foundational input for stock assessments, the setting of quotas, and the overall management of fishery resources. They are used by national agencies, regional authorities, and international bodies to monitor fishing pressure and to evaluate trends in abundance and productivity.

Limitations and uncertainties accompany saalismäärät. Reporting biases, discard practices, species misidentification, and incomplete coverage of fleets can affect accuracy. Variations in measurement units, differences in reporting cadence, and changes in fishing effort over time can complicate comparisons across periods or regions.

Etymology and usage: saalis means catch and määrä means amount in Finnish, with saalismäärät denoting multiple catch quantities. In English-language contexts, terms such as catch quantities or catch figures are used as equivalents.

See also: Fisheries statistics, Stock assessment, Quotas, Bycatch.