Recovering diversity in salmon populations and cultures of fishing: the subarctic River Teno basin as a confluence and a Living Lab

The project aims to support collaborative governance (Umu) for the recovery of a diverse Atlantic salmon complex, with a special emphasis on developing population-specific, target-based assessments of diverse salmon stocks in a multicultural setting that values Indigenous and local knowledge and rights.

The scientific objective of RecoSal is to connect knowledge systems in support of recovering the diverse Atlantic salmon population complex of the River Teno system using a Multiple Evidence Base approach.

The natural sciences contribution to the knowledge base will formulate a hierarchical Bayesian life history model that integrates long-term monitoring data on salmon populations, their genetic structure, and life history diversity together with the Indigenous and local knowledge of the salmon and the river system.

This implies new challenges to community and spatial planning in the region (Umu), as traditional Sami fishing, tourist angling, and other river-based activities will need to be reconsidered.

The project will investigate how the changing ecological status of the river affects international, national and community relations and changes in governance and planning approaches (Umu).

The project will provide transdisciplinary advice for designing and implementing effective and socially robust governance and management practices with an aim of ecological conservation and recovery of depleted biodiversity. Umu is responsible for the social science parts (bold) in RecoSal.