Finally, they can feel the salmon say raw muscle power again. – I’m completely shaken because it’s so funny. I was tired and because the fish was angry, says Aud Randi Næss, who pulls in his second salmon in a week. She and her husband Tore Jansen from Holmestrand spend the whole summer in the river Nausta in Sunnfjord fishing for salmon. CATCH: Aud Randi Næss shows the 69 centimeter salmon she caught in the river Nausta in Sunnfjord. Photo: Ole Kristian Svalheim They could not do that a year ago. Worst season nokosinne Last summer, there was 92 percent less precipitation than normal in Western Norway. This led to less water and salmon in the rivers. – I do not think we have had such a bad year ever, said communications manager Pål Mugaas in Norwegian salmon rivers to news after the worst season of salmon fishing nokosinne last year. Climate change is leading to more extreme variations in rivers. When it rains, it rains more and when it is dry it is drier. For river owner in Nausta, Eiliv Erdal, this became very clear in the summer of 2021. – Then we barely saw water and half of the fry in the river went away shallow drought. DRY: In the summer of 2021, Eiliv Erdal could go far down the river due to low water levels. This year he would have had water up to his chin if he stood in the same place in the river. Photo: Benedikte Grov / news This year, drought is not a problem. Already one week into July, several measuring stations in Western Norway approached the normal amount of precipitation for the whole month. The Meteorological Institute can already conclude that July will go down in the history books as a wet month in the west. – Both for us and for the salmon, it is great that the lake is back. A fish can not live without water, says Børre Pettersen, who has returned to the river Nausta at regular intervals since 1973. Uplifting insight into wild salmon in the west On behalf of the Norwegian Environment Agency, the Norwegian Institute for Natural Research (NINA) conducts a preliminary assessment in July. of the entry of salmon to Norway. So far this season there are good numbers in the west. – Based on that evaluation, it shows that the entry of salmon in the region from Rogaland to Trøndelag is at a level or above average as in the period 2016–2019. That means there are fish here. GOOD FISHING: So far this year, the entry of salmon is more normal than the bottom year last year. Photo: Ole Kristian Svalheim Gry Walle, contact person for fisheries management at the state administrator in Western Norway, says. In other parts of the country, the catches vary greatly between the rivers, such as in Sørlandet. In Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, the objection is generally lower than the average for the period 2016–2019. Overall, the Norwegian Environment Agency sees no reason to introduce extraordinary regional delimitations in salmon fishing in the 2022 season. Uncertain future for wild salmon Although more people will experience that the salmon bites this year, it is not certain that everyone will experience this in the years to come. Since the year 2000, there has been a decline in the number of salmon caught in Norwegian rivers. The reasons are several. Salmon lice, humpback salmon and farming get a lot of the blame for displacing wild salmon. Several rivers are also closed for regular sport fishing. Last year, wild salmon was redlisted. Walle explains that there are many factors that play a role in why the individual years can see more salmon than others. These can include watercourse regulation, acid rain and habitat loss. She still points to salmon lice and escaped fish as the biggest challenges to salmon disappearing. – Man-made challenges are the biggest problem, while salmon lice are the biggest threat. More fish = more competition Although the future of salmon is uncertain, this summer is a small upswing for committed anglers. Several rivers have opened for salmon fishing again this summer, including one of the country’s most iconic salmon rivers – Rauma in Romsdal. When one first gets perfect conditions for fishing in the rivers, there is even greater reason to rejoice. Aud Randi Næss has caught fish twice in Nausta this week, to her husband Tore Jansen’s great envy. – She leads 2-0, so I have to stand on now, Jansen jokes. EXCITEMENT: So far this season, numbers of wild salmon in the rivers are good. This means that more people can enjoy sport fishing. Photo: Ole Kristian Svalheim
ttn-69
Here they are cheering for a wet summer – now the salmon is back – news Vestland
