From June 5th to June 29th, 2023, as part of the implementation of the MSCA4Ukraine project, Nataliia Matviienko made a working visit to the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health, and Environmental Protection “BIOR” in Riga, Latvia.
The “BIOR” Institute is a nationally significant research center that develops innovative research methods and creates new practically applicable knowledge in the following areas of science: public health and environmental protection, food, fisheries, and veterinary medicine. In its field of expertise, the BIOR Institute is a regional leader with excellent scientific and technical expertise and a well-developed human resource base.
During the visit, Nataliia Matviienko was acquainted with research on fish diseases conducted by Microbiology and Pathology Laboratory scientists. She also learned about the work of the Department for Fishery Research, whose main task is to ensure the implementation of the “Latvian National Fisheries Data Collection Program” funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, as well as the agreement on fishery research in Latvia with the Ministry of Agriculture through the collection, compilation, and analysis of biological, fishery, and economic data.
The Department of Inland Waters and Fish Stocking, as part of the Department for Fishery Research, conducts research on fish in Latvia’s inland waters (rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water). The main research directions are related to the assessment of fish stocks’ condition natural reproduction of migratory fish, as well as the impact of fishing, fishery, and environmental conditions on fish stocks and biodiversity. The Department collects and stores data on fishing, fishery, and fish farming in Latvia. It provides scientific advice on aquaculture by its competence.
As part of her work, Nataliia Matviienko had the opportunity to visit the scientific and educational center for fish farming, “Tome,” which is the largest place for breeding salmon in Latvia and the Baltic Sea region. The fish farm releases about 550 000 salmon and sea trout smolts, 150 000 salmon and sea trout single summer fries, and 350 000 sander and whitefish fries in the waters of Latvia annually. Fries of steelhead trout sturgeon and carp are cultivated for the needs of private hatcheries and pond owners. Apart from that, the breeding bank of brown trout, whitefish, and sturgeon (sterlet, Siberian sturgeon, and bester) is maintained and cultivated for further maintenance of fries.
She also visited the fish farm ” Pelči,” and “Brasla”. The fish farm ” Pelči,” whose main task is the reproduction of salmon fish stocks in the Venta River basin. The hatchery breeds and releases about 200 000 salmon and sea trout smolts and fries in the basin of the river Venta annually. Additionally, the hatchery breeds sander, freshwater cod, carp, and steelhead trout fries as well as pike and lamprey maggots.
The fish farm “Brasla” is the renewal of the resources of sea trout in the basin of the river Gauja. The hatchery breeds and releases in the basin of the river Gauja about 200 000 sea trout smolts and fries annually. The hatchery breeds also steelhead trout fries and lamprey maggots.
During the visit with the research institute plans and prospects for the research
