Inarijärven muuttuvat sää- ja jääolot kaupallisten kalastajien kuvaamina

The operational environment of commercial fishing is rapidly changing in the North. Changing climate leads also to other environmental changes; socio-economic drivers impact the livelihood, as well. We studied the operational environment of commercial fishers in the Lake Inari region in northern Finland, emphasizing winter weather and ice conditions. We combined the practitioner knowledge of fishers with long-term meteorological and hydrological observations from the region. Experiences of fishers were in line with observational data. For example, ice cover forms later than few decades ago, and open water season begins earlier. Fishers have adopted various strategies to cope with the changes. Sustainable adaptation of commercial fishing – together with other northern nature-based livelihoods – need support from the governance and research. This means for example developing flexible co-management practices, and monitoring events and conditions critical for the livelihoods.