The fish, a species categorized as "vulnerable" were taken from a breeding center at Põlula, Lääne-Viru County, and released from the Papiniidu bridge on the outskirts of the City of Pärnu, at dusk, lest they get picked off by gulls or other predators.

Ene Saadre of the Põlula center, told AK that the fish had been bred after hatching in the spring, and a total of 20,000 of the species will have been released into the river this year, while the drop off stage has been used in the past.

The latest batch were particularly healthy and around 50 percent larger than the average size, though as juveniles still only weighed 45g on average.

Adult Common whitefish seldom exceed 55cm in length or 2kg in weight.

While an occasional gull did have a go at the shoal, AK reported, none managed to hold on to their catch.

Despite being a freshwater species, the fish will swim out at sea in the Baltic until large enough to spawn, when they will return to the Pärnu River.

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