The article reports on the commencement of the smelt fishing season in the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga, with an increased number of nets set up this year despite a later mass flow of smelt due to cold spring temperatures. Fishermen have caught 30 tons of smelt already, and the cost of the fish is expected to decrease during the May holidays. There are concerns about parasites in smelt from the Gulf of Finland, but none have been found in Lake Ladoga yet. The permitted production volumes and retail prices for the smelt in the Leningrad Region are also mentioned.