The round goby is quite a tasty small fish. This invasive species can already be found practically everywhere in the Baltic Sea, but most of the round gobies caught in nets are thrown back into the sea.
The sea isn't just a body of water, but a complex ecosystem composed of various species in which every one of them has its own role to play. Although the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea has remained relatively unchanged for hundreds of years, it could be destroyed by rapid and unexpected changes. The disappearance of sea ice and warm winters, for example, has accelerated the warming of the Baltic Sea and led to the disappearance of several fish species typically found in it.
The ecosystem of the Baltic Sea is also influenced by the invasive species that have found their way to it, because of which the abundance and food chain of local species may change. In Estonia’s coastal waters, for example, the invasive rockpool shrimp has begun to dominate local shrimp species.
In an ecosystem that has changed, imbalance between species may be an inevitability, and people as well as the rest of the natural world will have to adapt to it. By eating the invasive (but delicious!) round goby found in our waters, you will be helping the Baltic Sea and supporting local coastal fishing.
Take a look at what delicious dishes you can prepare with the round goby in the So Delicious recipe collection >>>
Rockpool shrimp (Palaemon elegans). Photo: Maili Metssalu