Last year, just over 76,000 salmon were caught in all Norwegian rivers. That means about one salmon per angler. It also means that the salmon season 2021 was the worst nokosinne. Not since 1956 were smaller salmon, sea otters and sea trout caught, and at that time only a third of the rivers reported today. In addition, many rivers are closed to fishing because the stock is so small. Among the favorite river to His Majesty the King – Lærdalselva in Sogn. – Instead of cutting it out completely, there should be strict restrictions, says Per S. Hjermann in Lærdal river owner association. ALL KING: Here His Majesty the King gets salmon in his favorite river – Lærdalselva in Sogn. Photo: Odd Helge Brugrand / NRK Also in Finnmark, the objection of salmon is lower than what is our rule. Terje Falsen (51) has been fishing in the Alta River since he was 5-6 years old. Every quarter of a year he takes a week off from his teaching job to participate in salmon fishing, and from 1 June until Christmas Eve it goes “more or less in one”. But the pressure on the river makes him uneasy. – I’m not sure if the rising generation will experience the same thing I have done, he says. In the Alta River, a quota of two salmon per person has been introduced this year before Christmas. Eager fisherman: Terje Falsen (51) takes time off from his teaching job to participate in salmon fishing. Photo: Private – The wild ax is in a very difficult situation In November 2021, the Atlantic wild ax was included on the Norwegian Red List, which indicates that the species is close to endangered. – It’s dramatic. Villaksen is in a very difficult situation, says Alf Olsen Jr., who is a daily camper at Nasjonalt Villakssenter. Secretary General of the Norwegian Salmon Rivers, Torfinn Evensen, calls the red list “a clear signal that the man-made impacts on the stocks must be reduced”. – Wild salmon need ambassadors to get off the red list, and responsible salmon fishermen are their best friend, he says. Last autumn, the Solberg government presented an action plan to save the truga wild ax (see fact box). Proposed measures to save wild salmon Salmon lice: Facilitate technology development that can contribute to solving environmental and area challenges in the aquaculture industry. Increase knowledge of emigration routes in time and space. Evaluate measures to improve the site structure with a view to particle dispersal. Revise the salmon lice regulations, including assessing the need to change the lice limits. Find out a possible requirement for zero discharges of salmon lice from fish farms from 2030. Escaped farmed salmon: Increase the scope of fishing measures, and consider lowering the limits for when fishing will take place. Order knowledge acquisition about methods for tracking and tagging farmed salmon. Order knowledge acquisition about methods to prevent escaped farmed salmon from spawning. Assess new requirements to prevent, detect and limit escapes. Assess requirements that will provide more accurate and more secure data on the extent of escape. Hydropower regulation Carry out a revision of terms in older watercourse regulation licenses. Use the opportunity in the Water Resources Act to require notice of licensing of facilities without a license. Revoke licenses under the Water Resources Act in those cases where it is necessary to take into account the public interest. CLOSED RIVER: The Tanavassdraget has been closed for two years. Now the Karasjok mayor will close it for another five years. Photo: Ksenia Novikova / NRK – It is difficult to say how the season will be Local management teams and the Scientific Council for Salmon Management monitor the stocks in Norwegian rivers. – It is difficult to say for sure whether the fishing season will be good or bad, says leader of the Scientific Council for Salmon Management, Torbjørn Forseth. He explains the poor 2021 season with “a dry and hot summer both in the south and west”. This meant that much of the salmon in small and medium-sized rivers did not migrate up the rivers before the autumn rains came, often after the fishing season was over. – On the other hand, it was usable with medium-sized salmon (3-7 kilos) in 2021 and it can give a good insight of large salmon in 2022. Because the largest salmon often come early, this can mean a good start to the season, especially in the larger rivers. The good news is that the calendar shows that we are in a partial year, he says. – It is the odd population of humpback salmon that has been responsible for the large invasion. There will probably be some humpback salmon in 2022, but hardly as in the odd-numbered year. Fishing consultant in the Norwegian Hunters’ and Fishermen’s Association, Øyvind Fjeldseth, has low expectations for the season. – Last year’s season does not provide a basis for optimism. The decline was large in all three stated size groups and largest for small salmon, he says.
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Now the salmon fishing starts – in the rivers that are not “empty” – NRK Vestland
