The Norwegian Environment Agency announced in June that “with a heavy heart” they were forced to close salmon fishing in 33 rivers due to a historic “collapse” in the salmon population. The director of the environment has since announced a new assessment on 5 July. It has created hope among those who believe that the decision was hasty and far too far-reaching, while others have decided that the salmon rivers will be closed for the foreseeable future. In an interview with the newspaper Nationen, Grong mayor Ann Jeanett Klinkenberg (Ap) says that “it may take several years” before the fishermen can take out the rods. Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen is equally pessimistic: – This is shaping up to be a very bad year. And the background for that will take time to overcome, he says. Storting representative for SV, Lars Haltbrekken says summer-closed rivers may be the new rule. – It is unfair, but we must prepare for this to happen for several summers. On Tuesday, Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen came to Dale and Vossoelva to meet frustrated salmon fishermen. Photo: William Jobling / news – A fateful hour for wild salmon The interrupted summer fishing has caused despair among salmon fishermen all over the country, and a hunt for “scapegoats”. A new report from the Scientific Council for Salmon Management (VRL) says that impacts from salmon farming and climate change are the biggest threats to wild salmon. – The main challenge from farming is salmon lice, says the daily manager of the National Wild Salmon Centre, Alf Olsen jr. He says the solution is submerged cages or closed facilities. – But it is not done overnight, and requires large investments. Secretary General of Norwegian Salmon Rivers, Torfinn Evensen, says that “we are in a fateful hour for wild salmon”. – It is urgent to implement the measures that we know will ease the situation. Breeding must go into closed cages as soon as possible. The Norwegian Environment Agency announced in June that “with a heavy heart” they were forced to close salmon fishing in 33 rivers due to a historic “collapse” in the salmon population. Photo: Geir Olav Slåen/news – Norway must do as Canada In a reader’s post in the Nation, Raudt manager Marie Sneve Martinussen writes that Norway must follow Canada and “force” the farming industry to switch to closed cages. – The tragicomic thing is that the solution is actually quite open. Get the fish into the closed cage, ho writes. With reference to the threatened wild salmon population, Canada decided in June that all salmon farming in British Columbia must enter closed forms by 2029. – This is a shift that will make Canada a world leader in sustainable aquaculture production, stated the Canadian Ministry of Fisheries. The decision was met with enthusiasm from Norwegian environmental organisations, and a fall on the stock exchange for the Norwegian farming companies Grieg Seafood and Mowi. The latter is the largest salmon farmer in the world. – We want to put an end to today’s “open barns” in the farming industry, says MDG manager Arild Hermstad. news has contacted Sjømat Noreg, which represents Norwegian farming companies, but has so far not received a reply. Rasmus Hansson (MDG) believes the Canadian decision is “the beginning of the end for open farming in Norway”. Photo: Steffen Kalås “Løftebrot” creates a new row about the salmon tax Last year, a hesitant Left and Patient Focus joined the government’s initiative for a new “salmon tax” in exchange for a guarantee that the state would speed up restructuring work in the aquaculture industry. Quite concretely in the form of the government outlining an environmental technology scheme to encourage farming companies to invest in more environmentally friendly forms of production “during 2023”. More than a year later, Fisheries and Oceans Minister Cecilie Myrseth (Ap) says that the draft will not come in 2024 either, but only next year when she submits “a more healthy aquaculture report”. To Dagens Næringsliv, the minister explains that the alternative is “a patchwork” of different schemes that do not talk to each other. If the proposal comes in 2025, the scheme can only become a reality in 2027. Four years after the tax settlement. – The salmon is dying, while the government is rowing, says Norwegian Liberal representative Alfred Bjørlo. NTB Alfred Bjørlo, Venstre- The situation for the Norwegian wild salmon is dramatic. I think there is a very high chance of further closure of Norwegian rivers. Now the work on real restructuring of the aquaculture industry to more closed facilities must accelerate – at the same time as we do everything we can to cut climate emissions, since climate change in the long term is the biggest threat to both wild salmon and other vulnerable Norwegian nature. Oddmund Reisæter Haugen Arild Hermstad, MDG- It is a complete crisis for wild salmon and completely unheard of that this species, which has been vital since people came here after the ice age, is now on the red list. MDG has stated in the program that we want to end today’s “open barns” in the farming industry, to ensure zero escapes, zero emissions and zero lice. Norway must follow Canada’s example and demand that the industry be adjusted very quickly. Private Torfinn Evensen, Secretary General of Norwegian Salmon Rivers – We feel for all parties, and also for all those who work in the wild salmon industry, as guides, cooks, helpers and others. This will have major, negative consequences for the economy surrounding the salmon river. Arne Frank Solheim Alv Arne Lyse, project manager for wild salmon at NJFF – The situation is downright catastrophic in the regions with extensive salmon farming. We demand urgent political action to reduce salmon lice infestation and the amount of escaped salmon in the rivers. Measures aimed only at fishing for salmon in rivers and seas alone are not sufficient to save our wonderful wild salmon for future generations! Bård Siem Alf Olsen jr., day-to-day manager at the National Wild Salmon Center – A joint wholesome effort in the river, sea and ocean that is needed to take care of the wild salmon for future generations. It requires a joint long-term policy and effort from all of us. If we are to have salmon in our rivers in the future, care for the salmon must precede a number of other cares. William Jobling / news Lars Haltbrekken, SV- It is unfair that the salmon fishermen suffer, when it is the farming industry and climate change that must take the blame. The farming industry must be held accountable, and there must be a compensation scheme for those who suffer damage. Bård Siem Ove Trellevik, Høgre- The reason for the collapse is compound. There are several reasons. Not just farming and climate change. We know far too little about the salmon on their journey in the sea. A paradox that she is also away from an area without farming. Unfortunately, an intense focus on farming does not keep the wild fish. We must ensure a broader approach. David Beckham was exempted from the fishing ban On Tuesday, Minister Eriksen came to Dale and Vossoelva to meet frustrated salmon fishermen. The program also included a tour of the hatchery where the wild salmon “get help” to create offspring. The practice is called stockfishing and has come on the agenda after football icon David Beckham was granted an exemption from the general fishing ban to collect “stockfish” from the Lærdal River. The state administrator in Rogaland, Bent Høie, has since concluded that her colleague in Vestland, Liv Signe Navarsete, was incompetent when she agreed to the fishing trip. The Norwegian Environment Agency does not have a full overview of the scope of stockfishing Raoul Bierach, section leader in the Norwegian Environment Agency – Stockfishing can only be carried out where there is cultivation activity in the form of fish stocking. It is the state manager who grants licenses for stockfishing, and further hatchery operations and stocking. We therefore do not have a full overview of the scope, apart from the fact that broodstock are fished for use in hatcheries only in a few rivers in Norway. The number has been reduced in recent years, in line with the increase in general knowledge about fish stocking and in particular knowledge about negative effects in the individual waterways. Research shows that ongoing fish cultivation should be avoided to the greatest extent possible, and one should rather invest in measures that increase the natural production of fish in lakes and rivers. The salmon are better equipped to adapt to environmental changes, such as climate change, when they are allowed to spawn naturally than when they are bred in tanks. Published 02.07.2024, at 15.20
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Increased pressure on the farming industry after notice of a long-term fishing stop – news Vestland
