- Trial fishing for the black-mouthed butter bolt will continue in 2022. This year we plan to use Russians and other gear to a much greater extent than last year.

At the moment, it is likely that the Russians are most efficient, says Linda Calamnius at the County Administrative Board of Gävleborg in a press release.

Caught in Russia

A Russian can be described as a long, tapered net bag.

They catch more black-mouthed butter bolts than nets, the by-catch is released alive and the work with the gear goes faster, according to Linda Calamnius.

It is two years since the species was first found in Gävlebukten and since then the county administrative board has fished to decimate the number, but also to find out which gear is most effective against black-mouthed butterfish.

Potential disaster for salmon

- If it continued north to our large salmon-bearing rivers, it would be a real disaster as it would probably eat up the rum and destroy the regrowth, says Linda Calamnius.  

The county administrative boards in Uppsala and Gävleborg, which are collaborating on the survey, have also produced an information film about the black-mouthed butter bolt and what to do if you fish it out:  

- If you get a black-mouthed butter bolt, you should not drop it back in the water but maybe take it home and taste it, because it is a good food fish, says Mattias Renström from the County Administrative Board in Uppsala.  

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Watch when SVT Gävleborg's reporter tries to eat the invasive fish.

Photo: SVT