Gustaf Ulfsparre's Foundation
– for the conservation of sea trout in the river Em
Svensk version
Gustaf Ulfsparre became a legend during his lifetime at the river Em. Mainly because his
pioneering spirit in improving and restoring the sea trout's spawning grounds, that had
earlier almost been overgrown and totally devastated. A short time after his death,on the
5 august 1987, a private foundation was created in his memory to strive to continue his
life's work - the conservation of sea trout in the river Em through a non-profit work.
The wild sea trout in Em is unique among it's species, it grows very quickly and has, within
sport fishing circles, become famous around the world. Mostly because it's high average
weight and the fact that several fantastic world records has been landed on sport fishing
equipments, during the years. The current record is a male fish of around 15 kilos.
Gustaf Ulfsparre's Foundations board contains 5-8 persons and work independently,
foremost with fish conservation issues in the river Em, for example improving the fish
migration in the river, bio topical issues and to influence the government department's
decisions regarding the river. The foundation also give grants for education or research,
regarding factors that can influence the sea trout in the river. In these aspects the
foundation is following up on the important work that Gustaf Ulfsparre once started and
that came to be so important for the sea trout and the Baltic sea.
OBS! The foundation is not linked to sale of fishing permits in the
river.
Among the efforts that Gustaf Ulfsparre's Foundation started and contributed to, since
it start 1989, are, e.g. parr investigations, elfisken and working with Kalmar university
producing a conservation plan, restoring spawning grounds ,mapping the sea trout's
spawning grounds at Grönskog , collection and fertilizing spawn for scientific purposes
and also investigations of the sea trout's migration habits.
A most important milestone in the Foundations long-time goals was archived spring 1999,
when permission to build migration routes past the two power stations at Finsjö. A decision
that is a boost both for the sea trot and Gustaf Ulfsparre's foundation and also spurs us
on and give hope for the future.
The income for the foundations work consists of gifts from private individuals,
organisations, companies and industrialists. In addition , the foundation, has also received,
as gifts to sell, lithographic prints, the publication "Em flies and their inventors" , bronze
statuettes and sport fishing equipment.
To continue the foundations important work in the future, of opening good migration routes
for the sea trout , maintaining and increasing fish conservation and also bio topical issues,
the foundation will need several million Swedish krona, witch is why contributions to the
Gustaf Ulfsparre's foundation is both needed and most welcome.We all need to continue
on the current road and as a motto for the foundation, the words of Göran Ulfsparre, the
chairman: "We shall make sure that it's possible to fish for sea trout in the river Em
until the next ice age".
Who wouldn't sign up for that?
