Biologist Per Espen Fjeld expresses in his chronicle on 16 February that it does not help to protect the cod in the Oslofjord if we simultaneously take food from it. Badly regulated fishing for sprat is his reason for the condition of the Oslofjord and he wants to remove the entire fishery. It is the wrong medicine for the Oslo Fjord’s challenges. Fjeld claims that cod has sprat on the main menu and therefore sprat fishing should be stopped. However, the dietary surveys of the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (HI) show that sprat make up 1–2 percent of the “menu” of cod in the fjord. Beach crabs reign supreme, but there is not widespread fishing for these. At least not commercially. The biologist also claims that the large quotas for sprat have been set together for the entire Skagerrak and the North Sea, and the entire quota can be fished in the Oslo Fjord. This leads to the genetically distinct population in the Oslo Fjord being fished out. This is also not true. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) recommended that 106,715 tonnes of sprat could be fished in the North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat last year. In Norway, we separate sprat populations between sea and coastal sprats. The coastal sprat is divided into fjord populations and the sea sprat can only be fished in the EU zone. Fishing for coastal sprat in the Skagerrak, including the Oslofjord, is settled against the Norwegian quota in the Skagerrak. Vessels fishing for sea sprat in the Skagerrak are not allowed within 4 nautical miles of the baseline. They therefore have to stay far outside the Oslofjord. Last year, the Norwegian quota in the Skagerrak was 1,465 tonnes (1.4 per cent of the total quota), of which only 307 tonnes were fished. If all of this was fished in the Oslo Fjord, it still constitutes only 0.3 per cent of the council’s quota for the sea area. The biologist is right that no population estimates are made for coastal sprat in the Oslo Fjord and Skagerrak, even though he strangely states that the population has been greatly reduced. The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research believes that the stock situation does not give cause for concern due to relatively stable catches and many large fish in them. Other ecosystem tours in the Oslo Fjord also show good occurrences of sprat, according to the Directorate of Fisheries. Therefore, this specific monitoring is given a lower priority. Let’s get it straight: the Oslofjord has other challenges than sprat fishing. Fjeld points to an increase in temperature and a subsequent ecological shift along the coast, which we fishermen also observe and bear the consequences of reduced fisheries. What measures should we then take? The fishing industry wants to contribute to ensuring that the food we eat has the smallest possible climate footprint. SINTEF has calculated that Norwegian herring transported to the continent has a climate footprint of 0.8 kg CO2 equivalents per kg edible product. Sprat in the Oslo Fjord is fished in the same way, but the large population around the fjord can eat it almost entirely without shipping – if they wish. In the same report, it is calculated that beef has a climate footprint of approx. 39 kg COâ‚‚ equivalents per kg edible product. Roughly calculated, we can therefore feed 48 people with sprats, with the same climate footprint as each person who eats steak. Last year, the catch for the two remaining vessels that fish for sprat in the Oslo Fjord for a few weeks a year was limited by the market. If the goal is to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, we should therefore ensure that the entire coastal sprat quota in the Skagerrak is fished. If it is not fished, the sprat usually dies before it is 4 years old. Eat sparrow with a clear conscience! It’s also cheap and healthy. Per Espen Fjeld’s chronicle emphasizes a concern that both biologists, managers and fishermen can agree on. We know too little about the ocean’s environment and the resources that the ocean holds. The knowledge we have is not made sufficiently available to people, not even those with a commitment to the sea. The cod in the Oslofjord is a very good example. It is protected in the fjord, and produces strong cohorts with lots of fry. But no one fully understands why the fry do not grow up or stay along the coast. Outside the baseline in the Skagerrak and in the North Sea, where cod is actively fished, however, the stock is growing well. In fact, the Norwegian Marine Research Council increased the quotas for cod off the Skagerrak coast by 82 percent from last year to this year. Good ocean management is a prerequisite for our livelihood, value creation along the coast and the climate-friendly seafood of the future. Marine research is a good investment for everyone. To make it clear: We support a request for population monitoring of sprats in the Oslofjord! FOLLOW THE DEBATE:
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Eat sparrow with a clear conscience – Statement
