Raising fisheries management fees
Act amending the Fishing Act
Fisheries management fees will rise from the beginning of 2018. The increases will ensure sufficient funds for the management of fishing waters and the promotion of fisheries.
- Status
- Passed
- Submitted
- 19 Sep 2017
- Latest event
- 11 Dec 2017
- Votes
- 1
- Speeches
- 20
- Confirmed
- 19 Dec 2017
- Statute
- 970/2017
- Source
- eduskunta.fi ↗
What is proposed
The annual fisheries management fee will rise from 39 euros to 45 euros, the seven-day fee from 12 euros to 15 euros, and the daily fee from 5 euros to 6 euros. At the same time, the basis for dimensioning appropriations in the central government budget will be changed to be based on the number of fees sold, so that fee revenues can be made available for fisheries more quickly.
What it means
The change will apply to recreational and commercial fishers aged 18 to 64 who engage in fishing other than fee-exempt angling or ice fishing. An estimated 10.1 million euros per year will be collected to promote fisheries from 2018, increasing the funding used for the management of fishing waters, monitoring, and compensation to owners of water areas by approximately 1.4 million euros. The act will enter into force on 1 January 2018.
How Parliament voted
2nd reading · 8 Dec 2017Parliament passed the act by 114–68.
The SPP and the Christian Democrats voted with the government. 17 MPs were absent. Minutes ↗
Filled dot = yes, ring = no, grey = absent. The seating plan at the time of this vote is not archived, so MPs are grouped by party in indicative seats.
A passed act does not enter into force immediately: the President of the Republic confirms it, and it enters into force on the date set in the act. This act was confirmed on 19 Dec 2017.
Debate in the chamber
What was argued and where each group stood, followed by MPs' speeches verbatim from the parliamentary record. Speeches are shown in their original language.
20 speeches · 8 speakers · 3 debates
Key points of the debate
The debate focused on raising fisheries management fees and channelling the resulting additional revenue into compensation for owners of water areas. The government parties considered the increase necessary to cover the funding deficit for the management of fishing waters. The opposition opposed the proposal and criticised directing additional funds to water owners without management obligations.
- Should the funding shortfall be covered by raising fees or by broadening the payer base?
- Is additional compensation paid to owners of water areas justified?
- Will raising fees reduce fishers' willingness to pay?
- Centre PartyIn favour
Increasing the fees is essential to secure funds for the restoration of fishing waters and fisheries measures. Owners of water areas carry out most of the practical management work, so they are also entitled to compensation.
”Kalastonhoitomaksua korotettaisiin 39 eurosta 45 euroon, 7 vuorokauden maksua 12:sta 15:een ja 1 vuorokauden maksua 5:stä 6 euroon.”
— Anne Kalmari - Blue ReformIn favour
Current fee revenues are not enough to cover the measures required by law, making the increase necessary. However, the group emphasised the importance of enforcement and broadening the payer base as a long-term solution.
”Nykyinen kalastonhoitomaksukertymä ei riitä kattamaan riittävästi kaikkia laissa määriteltyjä käyttötarkoituksia.”
— Kari Kulmala - Social DemocratsAgainst
The proposal unjustifiedly benefits owners of water areas and does not guarantee that the money will be directed to managing fish stocks. Instead of price increases, the payer base should be extended to those over 64 as well.
”Vesienomistajille maksettavat korvaukset eivät myöskään ole korvamerkittyjä, vaan omistajat voivat käyttää rahat, miten haluavat.”
— Ville Skinnari - GreensAgainst
Raising fees may weaken willingness to pay, and directing additional revenue to owner compensation reduces the share for other management projects. The group called for the proposal to be rejected.
”Esitän hallituksen esityksen hylkäämistä valiokunnan mietintöön jätetyn vastalauseen mukaisesti.”
— Satu Hassi
This digest was generated by AI from 20 speeches 13 Sep 2026. Group positions are read from the speeches, not from votes; quotations were checked verbatim against the record.
Keskustelu päättyi. Asia lähetettiin maa- ja metsätalousvaliokuntaan.
Yleiskeskustelu päättyi. Eduskunta hyväksyi hallituksen esitykseen HE 118/2017 vp sisältyvän lakiehdotuksen sisällön mietinnön mukaisena. Lakiehdotuksen ensimmäinen käsittely päättyi.
Keskustelu päättyi ja asian käsittely keskeytettiin.
Stages of consideration
The bill's path from the preliminary debate to the decision, as recorded by Parliament.
- 19 Sep 2017Eduskuntakäsittelyn vireilletulo · Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö
- 20 Sep 2017Lähetekeskustelu · Täysistunto
- 29 Nov 2017Valiokunnan mietintö tai lausunto · maa- ja metsätalousvaliokunta
- 30 Nov 2017Ensimmäinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 8 Dec 2017Toinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 8 Dec 2017Eduskunnan vastaus ja kirjelmä
Decisions by law proposal1
- 1Laki kalastuslain muuttamisestaHyväksytty · 970/2017 · 19 Dec 2017
Proposed law text
The law proposals in the bill as the Government presented them. The final act may differ after committee consideration.
The law text is shown in Finnish or Swedish from Parliament's official documents; it is not translated into English.
Laki kalastuslain muuttamisesta
Eduskunnan päätöksen mukaisesti kumotaan kalastuslain (379/2015) 133 §:n 3 momentti sekä muutetaan 79 §:n 1 momentti ja 86 § seuraavasti:
79 §Kalastonhoitomaksu ja sen tarkistaminen
Muunlaista kalastusta kuin onkimista tai pilkkimistä harjoittavan 18–64-vuotiaan henkilön on suoritettava valtiolle kalastonhoitomaksu. Kalastonhoitomaksu on 45 euroa kalenterivuodelta, 15 euroa seitsemältä vuorokaudelta ja 6 euroa vuorokaudelta.
86 §Määrärahan varaaminen talousarviossa
Valtion talousarvioon otetaan 82 §:ssä tarkoitettuja kustannuksia, korvauksia ja menoja varten vuosittain määräraha, joka vastaa sitä määrää, minkä viimeisimmän vahvistetun valtion tilinpäätöksen perusteella arvioidaan samana vuonna kertyvän kalastonhoitomaksuina.
§
Tämä laki tulee voimaan 1 päivänä tammikuuta 2018.
Main content of the bill (official)
The summary and title were produced with AI on 2 Sep 2026. They are not official documents – check the details in the original bill. The title and summaries are machine translations of the Finnish AI summaries. Speeches and quotations are always shown in their original language.