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About 50 fish species live in the Curonian Lagoon including
the most common such as: roach (Rutilus rutilus), perch (Perca
fluviatilis), redeye (Scardinius erythrophalmus), white bream
(Blicca bjoerkna) and common bream (Abramis brama). Bream
is very fearful during spawning. If frightened, it might never return to its native
area. This is why it was prohibited to sail during spawning or ring a church bell
near bream territory.
Anglers are happy to catch pike (Esox lucius) or, if they are lucky,
a bigger pike-perch (Lucioperca lucioperca) and eel (Anguilla
anguilla). It is very popular to go for smelt (Osmerus eperlanus)
in the winter season. Before going upstream to the River Nemunas for spawning
in spring, they gather together in the Curonian Lagoon. During second half of
winter, they start to smell like fresh cucumbers because of special glands on
their bodies.
Sometimes fishermen catch rather rare fish species such as whitefish (Coregonus
lavaretus lavaretus), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and sea
trout (Salmo trutta trutta), which are on the Red List. Sea trout makes
gravel "nests" up to 1 m in diameter for spawning. It can crossbreed
with trout species and sometimes with salmon. The crossbreeds are of great vitality.
Sea trout comes from the Baltic Sea to the Curonian Lagoon for spawning and later
returns to the sea.
Another species included on the Red List - twaite shad (Alosa fallax)
- also spawns in the Curonian Lagoon. It is very sensitive to water pollution.
Therefore its population significantly decreased recently. It is prohibited to
fish for it by any mean a round year.
Long three-sided fishing nets are scattered in the entire Curonian Lagoon. But
one kind of fish is rarely caught with them. It is called sabre or rasor
fish (Pelecus cultratus). It usually jumps over nets. The spawning
is very active and noisy - fish are jumping, cruising in small circles; it looks
like the water is boiling. Sabre fish are rather common in Lithuania, but the
Curonian Lagoon is the most favourite their habitat.
In spring fishermen go to the Baltic Sea for plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)
and turbot (Scophtalmus maxima). The latter grow up to become predators
and sometimes, as sharks, they eat inedible things like plastics and rubber. Turbot
meat is very valuable: low in fat and no fish smell or taste.
This is a small part of the fish species living in the Curonian Lagoon and the
Baltic Sea. |
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