– I’m really looking forward to the season, says Eiliv Erdal. He is the leader of the river owners’ association in the salmon river Nausta in Sunnfjord. 1 June is a special day for many salmon fishermen. Then fishing opens in many rivers, and the fishermen are usually ready from midnight. But that the fishing is good is not a given. Two years ago, the water level in the Nausta and other rivers in Western Norway was so low that fishing was greatly reduced. Last year the situation was better. Erdal hopes to see similar trends this summer, and that the salmon vintage from last year will be even bigger. Eiliv Erdal hopes for a good season in Nausta in Sunnfjord. Photo: Ole Kristian Svalheim Excitement linked to the opening of the season – There is always a lot of excitement linked to the opening. Whether the salmon has arrived, how big it is and how the river flow will be, says Pål Mugaas, communications manager at Norske Lakseelver. He says that most of the large salmon rivers are open (see below). Rivers that are “open” Nausta, Vestland Gaula, Vestland Eidselva, Vestland Etneelva, Vestland Numedalslågen (open 15 May), Viken, Vestfold and Telemark Årdalselva (open 15 May), Rogaland Orkla, Trøndelag Gaula, Trøndelag Stjørdalselva, Trøndelag Namsen . – The encouragement is that you really take advantage of the opportunity to fish in the rivers that are open. There is nothing better to do in the summer than fishing for salmon. 1 June is a special day for many salmon fishermen. Then fishing opens in many rivers, and the fishermen are usually ready from midnight. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB scanpix 180 rivers closed A total of 180 salmon rivers in Norway are closed due to an unknown or poor stock situation. Some large rivers that remain closed are: Lærdalselvi, Vestland Reisaelva, Troms/Finnmark Saltdalselva, Nordland Tana, Finnmark Several rivers are closed in Sogn og Fjordane. The main reason is challenges linked to farming and salmon lice, says Mugaas. – As long as the situation is as it is in the outer parts of the Sognefjord, with a lot of farming in open cages, you will constantly produce a lot of salmon lice that kill the wild salmon hatchlings. Expecting more humpback salmon The humpback salmon is another known threat to the wild salmon. In the Tanaelva in Finnmark, a trap has been built for the humpback salmon, but one does not know how much the trap will be able to take away. Two years ago, up to 7,000 humpback salmon a day came up in the Tanaelva. This year it may be five or ten times as much. – If we multiply that by five, there will be 35,000 salmon a day. It only takes two days, then we have as much as the whole season two years ago, says Rune Aslaksen in the Tanavassdraget’s Fisheries Management to news. Pål Mugaas is responsible for communications at Norske Lakseelver. Photo: Norske Lakseelver Fryk insig The species comes in the odd-numbered years. There was a large increase in humpback salmon in 2021, which is why Norwegian Salmon Rivers fear the same this year. – It is primarily in the north that we fear a massive influx of humpback salmon, says Mugaas, but add that the species is moving down the coast. They also fear humpback salmon in Eidselva in Nordfjord. The species has been found here before, for the first time in 2019. – We will probably get a greater insight this year than we have had in the past, says Pål Nyttingnes of the river owners’ association in Eidselva. Mugaas encourages those who fish for mackerel and other fish in the lake to fish for humpback salmon as well. – There is good food fish in the sea. But we don’t want it in our rivers, where it could disturb the wild Atlantic salmon.
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