Week 31 - Fishheart
In week 31 at Kengis Bruk we had a visit from Fishheart from Finland. A company focuses on hydraulic fishway systems for migrating fish.
We will get back to the interesting and innovative company later in the blog.
How did it go in week 31?
It seems like the temperatures will be higher this year than we normally see up north.
Every year we have a few warmer weeks, but then it cools off again, but this summer has been warm and so was week 30. Luckily for us the rain came and we had some days with good fishing weather.
Fishheart was new to our fly fishing lodge. And it's always nice to welcome new people and they were happy with our concept. Everything worked like a clock they said, so that is good for us to know that the one thing we can control is working.
Fly fishing was difficult, but a single strike came out of nothing, but the fish did not stay on the hook.
Fish were still showing and flies were in the water all the time, but the conditions made it difficult.
Just upstream of Kengis Bruk water there is a public boat fishing area and the guys did a bit of rowing and had some action. This big male was hiding up there and it gives us an idea that fish are around, it's just a matter of timing and the conditions.
Fishheart for the win-win-win
Fishheart is a hydraulic fishway system designed to revive migratory fish stocks in altered bodies of water.
With the help of our technological innovation, we’re aiming for a win-win-win situation: we provide migratory fish access to their natural spawning grounds, restore biodiversity and combat climate change, as well as save water and cut costs for hydropower plants.
Fishheart adapts to different environments and repositions quickly for best attraction flows. Together with the Ecological Egg Box and Stream Restoration, Fishheart offers a comprehensive solution to the migratory fish dilemma.
We believe in cooperation, and transparency is key in all our operations. Fishheart is an independent, eco-focused company looking to solve a global issue with local partners.
Story:
In summer 2016, Fishheart innovator Tarmo Aittaniemi met a keen fisherman, Mika Sohlberg, after Mika read a piece from a local newspaper talking about Tarmo´s innovation, a system designed to take fish safely over large dams. From there, Mika and Tarmo, who were later joined by fellow fisherman Magnus Breitenstein, worked together to get government and hydropower companies interested in Tarmo’s fish passage system. After two years of testing, the first Fishheart fishway was sold to Kemijoki Oy, a large hydropower company with twenty power plants.
The Fishheart unit operates like a heart, which is how the company drew inspiration for its name. During operation, one side of the Fishheart unit is closed in order to pump fish over the dam while the other side remains open, allowing fish to enter.
Fishheart’s goal is to return fish to their river habitats while providing the technology to do so at a fair price.
In a world where dams are blocking the way for the migrating fish, it is interesting to follow companies like Fishheart that come up with solutions to these problems.
Read more about Fishheart here
Now we are looking at next week and looking forward to welcoming a new group into the Kengis family.
Let's cross our fingers for better conditions for fishing.
Tight lines!
Aslak Lund
Photos: Mika Sohlberg & Fishheart
