Latest news
Stay up-to-date with the latest happenings from the Baltic Herring Research Project. Here, we share research milestones, upcoming events, and recent media appearances.
2024
- December: Donations to support herring research have been received from Paraisten kaupunki, Salmonfarm ab, Selkämeren Jää oy, Uudenkaupungin kaupunki, Uudenkaupungin Kalanlajittelukeskus, Taivassalon kunta, Kustavin kunta, and Suomen Ammattikalastajaliitto. Thank you for this valuable support!
- 2 December: Marjut Rajasilta gives a presentation on the herring research at TEKS meeting in Turku.
- 21 November: Weisell Foundation awarded €88501 to support the 1st year of our research project focusing on herring migration, natal origins and stock structure.
- 6 October: Katja Mäkinen presented the latest findings on Baltic herring at the Silakkasoutu event in Helsinki.
- 10 September: Katja Mäkinen presented the latest findings on Baltic herring at the Vesiviljelyn ympäristösuojelun neuvottelupäivät event in Turku.
- 8 August: Herring Day (Silakkapäivä)– event was organized at Seili. See the program for details.
- 17-27 April: Katja Mäkinen conducted a research visit to Prof. Karin Limburg’s lab at SUNY-ESF, Syracuse, NY, USA.
- 11 April: Public lecture on Baltic herring at the Main Library of Turku, part of the Biodiversity Unit’s lecture series.
- Two new bachelor theses finished by Laura Lammi and Eino Nousiainen on Mysid ecology and Baltic herring male characteristics.
- 9 April: Saara Miinala received a €1,000 grant for her Master’s thesis from the Finnish Foundation for Nature Conservation’s Baltic Sea Fund.
- March: Lieto Savings Bank Foundation awarded €25,000 to support the Baltic Herring Project, funding two research assistant positions.
- February: Team visit to the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Öregrund, Sweden.
2023
- 5 December: Katja Mäkinen interviewed in Suomen Luonto article: “Onko runsain merikalamme silakka vaikeuksissa?”
- 14 December: Presentation at the 2nd Annual Science Day of the Faculty of Science by Katja Mäkinen.
- 31 October: Opinion piece by Marjut Rajasilta & Katja Mäkinen: “Silakkakantojen säilyminen elinvoimaisena riippuu ennen muuta lisääntymisen onnistumisesta” in Turun Sanomat.
- 28 September: Marjut Rajasilta interviewed in Suomen Kuvalehti article “Kamppailu silakasta“
- 1 September: Jari Hänninen interviewed in Yle News: “Tutkijat moittivat komission esitystä silakan kalastuskiellosta: Täyskielto olisi kalastajille katastrofi” – Yle News.
- 11 August: Publication accepted in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences: “Effects of incubation temperature and maternal phenotype on Baltic herring eggs and larvae.”
- Herring research featured in Arja Renell’s art work at John Nurminen Foundation’s “Tuntematon Itämeri” exhibition at Suomenlinna, Helsinki, from 17.5 to 15.9.2023.
- 13 July: Our latest publication, “The prevalence of Corynosoma parasite worms in the Baltic herring and the great cormorants in the northern Baltic Sea, Finland” has been accepted for publication in the International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife.
- 15 June: Olvi Foundation awarded €15,000 for Johannes Sahlsten’s PhD research.
- 26 May & 1 February: Media interviews with Katja Mäkinen featured in Yle News and Helsingin Sanomat.
- 25 May: Katja Mäkinen gave an oral presentation related to maternal effects in the Baltic herring at the Baltic Sea Science Congress on Friday, August 25th, in Helsinki, Finland.
- March: A two-year collaborative project (2023-2024) with the National Resources Institute Finland begins. The project is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Earlier highlights (Selected examples)
- 2022: Article in Suomen Luonto: “Suhteellista: Hylkeen loinen matkustaa äyriäisen ja silakan kyydissä.”
- 2021: Blog post by Katja Mäkinen: “Iodine in the Baltic Sea – a new factor behind a changing sea?” on the Sakari Alhopuro Foundation Blog.
- 2020: Opinion article in Turun Sanomat by Jari Hänninen, Katja Mäkinen, & Marjut Rajasilta on climate change impacts on marine ecosystems in Europe.