– Until now, humpback salmon have mostly been caught in rivers. This project involves taking it into the sea, before it goes into the river. That’s according to head of research at the Institute of Marine Research (HI), Svein Løkkeborg. In Bugøyfjord in Eastern Finnmark, he and colleagues have tested an experimental wedge groove with smaller meshes that guides fish into a cage. – Then the fish will move completely freely, just as it does in a normal breeding cage. Then we can catch humpback salmon in a gentle way, while at the same time we can sort out other salmon fish. Head of research at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (HI), Svein Løkkeborg, believes the project could lead to the commercialization of humpback salmon. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news The humpback salmon is a good food fish, before it enters the river and begins the spawning process. This extraction method can lead to a lot of high-quality humpback salmon. The aim is that within a few years the special wedge net with cage can be used commercially, so that humpback salmon can be utilized as a resource. – The goal is to get a new industry out of it, while at the same time fighting an unwanted species. Løkkeborg says that a commercialization of the humpback salmon will mean a lot for coastal fishermen and for reception on land. Is positive Director of the Tanavassdraget Fisheries Administration, Hans-Erik Varsi, welcomes the project. – There is no doubt that most of the humpback salmon that will arrive in two years will have to be taken out into the sea. This year, it is expected that over half a million humpback salmon will go up Norway’s largest salmon river. – Everything that enters the Tanafjorden will go up into the Tanaelven, since it has not been opened for salmon fishing in the fjord. Løkkeborg says that if you set the wedge seine near rivers where humpback salmon ascend, you will be able to take out a lot of salmon before it reaches the river. Director of the Tanavassdraget Fisheries Administration, Hans-Erik Varsi, is positive about the project. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms – Creating new opportunities The Sea Sami business organization Bivdu has long fought for most humpback salmon to be harvested in the sea, before it swims up the rivers. Manager Inge Arne Eriksen thinks the HI project is very good. He believes that the wedge net with cage will suit many fishermen. You have to keep your tongue straight in your mouth when putting out a wedge groove, but the researchers from HI managed to do it. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news Eriksen believes that the commercialization of humpback salmon will mean a lot for sea salmon fishing. – It will also mean that you may not need to tax the normal salmon so heavily. It creates completely new possibilities. However, he believes that the success of selling humpback salmon also depends on the marketing and reception on land. – Wasn’t a fish After ten days, the project in Bugøyfjord has now ended. Løkkeborg says that it did not go as well as hoped. – The equipment worked, but there were simply no fish. It turned out that HI had been given an old salmon place that had not been used for several years. When they realized this, there was unfortunately too little time to move the wedge note. But the research manager still has hope for the project. The wedge net had a smaller mesh width than usual this year, but Løkkeborg says they have to go even smaller to ensure that fish such as sea trout do not get stuck. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news – We will repeat the project in another place in the Bugøyfjord next year, where we know there are fish. Then we expect little humpback salmon, but will focus on gently sorting out other fish. The project will also be carried out at the next humpback salmon year, in 2025. He says that the principle of reducing mesh size and sluicing the fish into a cage works well. – I absolutely believe that the concept is suitable for the target.
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Want to make money from humpback salmon – testing gentle fishing in the sea – news Troms and Finnmark
