Fishing

Vesa Ruusila, PhD, has been appointed Metsähallitus Director of Game and Fisheries by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Ruusila joins the Metsähallitus staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, where he serves as a game and fisheries adviser and Head of Unit for Game and Fisheries. Ruusila will assume his duties at Metsähallitus on 1 December 2024.

The Director of Game and Fisheries is in charge of Metsähallitus Wildlife Service Finland, which is one of the public administration tasks managed by Metsähallitus. The Director of Game and Fisheries is a member of the Metsähallitus Management Group. Metsähallitus Wildlife Service Finland is responsible for the organisation of fishing and hunting and wilderness supervision in state-owned areas. The purpose of Wildlife Service Finland is to manage permit sales and collect the state fisheries management fee for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The permit revenues are used to manage game and fish habitats and provide wilderness services. Wildlife Service Finland also receives funding from the central government budget.

Jukka Bisi, the previous officeholder, retired in July. Ahti Putaala, Lead Specialist, hunting and game management at Metsähallitus, will serve as the Acting Director of Game and Fisheries until the end of November.

Further information:

Vesa Ruusila, Director of Game and Fisheries (as of 1 December), tel. +358 (0)295 162051
Henrik Jansson, Executive Director, Parks & Wildlife Finland, Metsähallitus (public administration tasks), tel. +358 400 328 759
Pekka Pesonen, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, tel. +358 (0)295 162020