The case in summary: The Animal Court believes that catching and releasing halibut is animal cruelty and violates the Animal Welfare Act. Tourist fishing companies, such as Camp Halibut AS, believe that catch and release is necessary for their operation and a good way to preserve the fish population. Researcher Keno Ferter at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research has studied the health of halibut after catch release and found that survival is high as long as the fish does not suffer major hook injuries or severe bleeding. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority questions the ethics of catch and release. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries has mandated the discarding of halibut over 2 meters due to high levels of environmental toxins in large halibut, but assumes that this is handled in a responsible manner in terms of animal welfare. The ministry continuously assesses whether there is a need for changes in the regulation of fishing for halibut. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – This is serious animal abuse, and it is contrary to several provisions in the Animal Welfare Act. That’s what Jenny Rolness says about catching and releasing halibut. She is a leader in Dyrenes Rett. Earlier in July, Nordic Sea Angling in Lofoten hauled up seven halibut over 200 centimeters. Despite the large catch, none of them made it home. Halibut of this size must be released. According to researcher Keno Ferter at the Institute of Marine Research, the way the company handled the halibut is correct. However, Rolness in Dyrenes Rett reacts to the catch and release of halibut, and believes that it should be banned. Wide-ranging offences. The head of Dyrenes Rett believes that the way the halibut is handled is extra cruel. She says that we would never have accepted such treatment of mammals or other land animals. – Fish have feelings and researchers have found that fish react similarly to pain as mammals, says Rolness and refers, among other things, to this article about fish feeling pain. She also believes that there are breaches of several provisions in the Animal Welfare Act. – Animals must not be exposed to the risk of unnecessary suffering. Hunting, trapping and fishing must take place in a way that is sound in terms of animal welfare. And animals that are used for entertainment must not be intentionally subjected to harm, fear or unnecessary stress. Jenny Rolness is head of Dyrenes Rett. She believes that catch and release should be banned, and that we would never accept such treatment of mammals or other land animals. Photo: Privat The system must put an end to what Rolness has seen videos on social media of catch and release of halibut. – They get a large hook with rope stretched through the jaw, and then the halibut is attached to the boat. There it can be left hanging, squirming and struggling to get free, with the risk of being exposed to further damage. Some use a knife to cut open the halibut’s jaw, then pull the rope through. – Afterwards, the halibut is released with hook damage in the mouth and jaw, and possibly other injuries, and risks a slow and agonizing death. Rolness thinks it is important to focus on the method itself, and believes that the system of catch and release as a sport must end. – You cannot subject animals to such suffering so that people can have fun. Daniel Eriksson is general manager of Camp Halibut AS on Sørøya. Eriksson thinks catch and release is an excellent way to get in touch with nature and the halibut, without significantly harming them. Photo: Alexander Strid Absolutely crucial for the company Daniel Eriksson, general manager of Camp Halibut AS, operates fishing tourism on Sørøya. He believes that catch and release should not be banned. – I think catch and release is an excellent way to get in touch with nature and the wonderful animals that halibut are, without needing to harm them significantly or needing to affect the stock negatively, says Eriksson. According to Eriksson, no one uses a knife to get the rope through the halibut: – Even if someone wanted to do it, it would be one hundred percent physically impossible to get a rope through a halibut in that way. Camp Halibut has a catch window for food fish of 84-130 centimetres, to protect the stock. – So we can let all spawning fish live on, and try to ensure that it does not affect the stocks in a negative way, he says. He says that it is absolutely crucial for them as a company to be able to carry out this method. – We cannot operate in this way, and have to kill all the fish. Catch and release studied Keno Ferter, together with researchers from UiT, has studied the health of halibut after catch releases. Through the research project, the halibut were secured next to the boat and satellite tagged before they were released into the water. – It turned out that there was a very high survival rate for these fish, he told news earlier in July. As long as the fish does not suffer major hook damage or severe bleeding, it will survive. At the same time, the research showed that it was unfortunate to take the halibut into the boat as it could, among other things, lead to damage to the mucous membrane, as well as fractures in the spine. Ferter strongly recommends releasing the halibut while it is in the water. – Ethically questionable It is the Norwegian Food Safety Authority that supervises that people follow the Animal Welfare Act. They question the ethics of catch and release. – It is ethically questionable to harm animals, and in this case we are talking about fish, pain and discomfort so that we humans can engage in a leisure activity that is for the sake of the experience. That’s what Kristel Halvorsen Foss, acting section manager in the animal welfare section at the head office of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, says. – That is why we have recorded in the Storting message that we want to look at the possibility of assessing this activity against the Animal Welfare Act, says Foss. Catch and release is legal today, but why? According to Foss, it depends on several things, including the condition of the fish. – When dealing with animals, you must comply with the provisions contained in the Animal Welfare Act. Fish are also animals, and the Animal Welfare Act therefore also applies to fish. This does not mean that all “catch and release” is illegal, it can depend on several things, including the condition of the fish, says Foss. Draft of halibut over two meters In an e-mail to news, the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries writes that all regulations for fishing for halibut are technical regulations that appear in the harvest regulations, which have been laid down by the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries. – There is an order to discard halibut over 2 metres, due to high levels of environmental toxins in large halibut. It is assumed that this is handled in a responsible way in terms of animal welfare, among other things the Institute of Marine Research has advised against taking large halibut into vessels, they write in the email. The ministry continuously assesses whether there is a need for changes in the regulation of fishing for halibut. Published 24/07/2024, at 18.22 Updated 24.07.2024, at 20.20
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Leader of the Animal Rights Council wants to ban the catch and release of halibut, the tourist fishing company disagrees – news Troms and Finnmark
