For over two weeks, 33 salmon rivers south of Nordland have been closed to fishing. The closure was made by the Norwegian Environment Agency after there were unusually few salmon in the rivers. Now the directorate has decided that 16 of the rivers will be opened for restricted fishing. – A new summary of catch numbers and fish counts shows that there is still a need for extraordinary measures in salmon fishing in the rivers and fjord regions from Trøndelag and southwards, says Raoul Bierach in the Norwegian Environment Agency. 16 of the 33 rivers that the Norwegian Environment Agency closed to salmon fishing are now open for very limited fishing and with strict conditions. Fishing will be open from midnight on the night of Thursday 11 July. Salmon fishing opens here Of the 33 rivers that were closed to salmon and sea trout fishing from 24:00 until Sunday 23 June, these 16 open for very limited fishing from midnight to Thursday 11 July: Agder: Tovdalselva, Otra, Mandalselva, The lie. Rogaland: Figgjo, Vikedalselva. Vestland: Oselva, Daleelva, Gaula in Sunnfjorden, Åelva and Ommedalselva, Hjalma. Møre and Romsdal: Korsbrekkelva. Trøndelag: Nidelva, Stjørdalselva, Verdalselva, Namsenvassdraget including Høylandsvassdraget and Sanddøla. Sea area closed to salmon fishing since 23 June, which opens for fishing with wedge nets, salmon roosts, pole and handline from 13 July: Trøndelag: Åfjord and Namsfjorden. Weekly fishing time with wedge seine and salmon spawn is Monday at 18 to Wednesday at 18. Strict reopening Fishing in the 16 reopened rivers will be strictly regulated. – We have asked the local administration to come up with proposals for how river fishing can continue, says Bierach. – There is some variation. In some places there will be fishing more or less as normal, in other places there will be a much stricter regime. The measures introduced by the Norwegian Environment Agency vary from river to river. Among other things, there will be limits on how big salmon can be caught and how long the fishing will last. Mixed reception In Grong, the mood is mixed after the Norwegian Environment Agency’s decision on Tuesday afternoon. – It is very nice that it is now open. But it will be at a very limited level, and only for a month, says Ola Seem, chairman of the Namsevessdraget river owners association. Ola Seem is happy that the Namsen is one of the rivers that will now be partially opened. Photo: Randi Wilsgård / news Although he is happy about the opening, there will be limits to how big salmon can be caught in the watercourse. – Considering the objections that have been raised, it may look like we have a surplus of small salmon, and then that is what we can take out. – And then it’s disappointing that we can’t fish for longer than until 15 August. Narrowing into Finnmark Nord for Trøndelag, most salmon are normally taken in the rivers from July onwards during the season. The condition of the salmon has been better in Troms and Western Finnmark than in other parts of the country. At the same time, after several years of weak salmon arrivals in the Varangerfjord in Aust-Finnmark, there are tentatively fewer salmon than before, writes the Norwegian Environment Agency. Salmon fishing at sea in the Varangerfjord will therefore be reduced from four to two days in the remaining two weeks of the season this year. In the rivers that flow into the Varangerfjord with side fjords, the salmon fishing ends two weeks earlier than what has been decided. Hunters and fishermen are positive about the measures – We look positively on the fact that the development of wild salmon in some areas has improved recently, and that 16 rivers can be reopened for fishing, says Alv Arne Lyse of the Norwegian Hunters and Fishers Association. At the same time, they are concerned about the situation. – It is dramatic that Gaula and Orkla, two of the country’s most important rivers for sport fishing for salmon, cannot be reopened. Lyse points out that salmon lice and escaped salmon from the farming industry create problems for wild salmon. – As critical as the situation is for the wild salmon, the government must act. Report before the weekend At the end of last week, the Norwegian Institute for Natural Sciences (NINA) came out with a new report on the state of salmon in the rivers. – The situation is serious and shows that the measure to close fishing in the sea and river was necessary. In many places, strict measures will be necessary in the future. This is what senior researcher Torbjørn Forseth told news on Friday. The report from NINA was based on new counts and data from both the closed rivers and rivers that are still open to fishing. The report established that small, medium and large salmon swim up the rivers south of Nordland. North of Trøndelag, the situation is more variable. – It looks better in Troms and Western Finnmark than other parts of the country, but in the Varangerfjord there are so far signs that indicate significantly less salmon than before, the report says. Wild salmon “close to danger” Last year’s salmon fishing was the worst ever and the catch of wild salmon dropped sharply from the previous year. In 2022, 97,678 wild salmon were caught by anglers in Norwegian salmon rivers. The number for 2023 was 70,593. Villaksen is on the red list in the Norwegian Arts Data Bank and assessed as “near threatened”. – Now there is a risk of serious damage to the salmon stocks, and we therefore believe that we must take measures, said Director of the Norwegian Environment Agency, Ellen Hambro, when it became clear that the rivers were closed to fishing. Want stricter regulation Closed rivers have created frustration among both salmon fishermen and river owners who make a living from salmon tourism. River owners have, among other things, pointed to the farming industry as a reason for the lack of salmon this year. They believe salmon lice and escaped salmon are a threat to wild salmon. Several have advocated that the industry must be more strictly regulated. Published 09/07/2024, at 15.42 Updated 09.07.2024, at 17.08
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Opens 16 closed salmon rivers – but fishing will be strictly regulated – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
