So far this year, the State Nature Inspectorate (SNO) has intercepted 215 illegal nets and other trawlers. Last year, by comparison, there were 138 confiscations. – Despite more information, increased supervision and more people being booked, we are seeing an increase in the number of violations of the law, says Morten Kjørstad, director of the State Nature Inspectorate, which sorts under the Norwegian Environment Agency. He characterizes illegal net fishing as “a serious threat to the salmon population”. – Certain rivers and waterways are closed to fishing because the salmon population is very vulnerable. If these stocks are fished illegally in the sea or river, the salmon population in the watercourse could in the worst case become extinct, he says. The goal is to put an end to all illegal salmon fishing. Also new this year is that several of the breaches of the law are so serious that the Norwegian Environment Agency reports the matter to the police. The main rule is that the Norwegian Environment Agency settles for the mildest sanction option, that is to say a penalty fee. – We are very concerned that so much illegal fishing is taking place, says Gry Walle, who is a fisheries manager at the State Administrator in Vestland. Photo: Statens naturoppsyn (SNO) Don’t like the development – This is not good. If people do not follow the rules, it will lead to greater taxation in the rivers, says Ola Petter Bøe, leader of the Lærdal River Owners’ Association. Lærdalselvi is known to many as the “Queen” of salmon rivers. Despite its nickname, it is King Harald’s favorite river. But for the past three years Lærdalselva has been closed to fishing. And that will be the case until 2025, if the population has risen by then. This makes Bøe uneasy in view of the strong increase in illegal net fishing. – We already have challenges on several fronts. If we then get a greater taxation of the salmon in the lake, that is not good, he says. – Several have been caught in the act. The report does not state whether the new numbers reflect more abuse or more inspectors. – The new strategy with increased supervision in problem areas has led to more people being caught in the act. We hope this will help to reduce illegal fishing, says Kjørstad. In 2021, the salmon ended up on the red list for threatened species, and in Vestland and Nordland the situation is characterized as particularly critical. The illegal fishing comes on top of the challenges from salmon lice. humpback salmon and skimmed farmed salmon. In a new report from the Scientific Council for Salmon Management, it appears that the salmon catch in 2022 was among the lowest ever recorded. – We are very concerned SNO announced last year that they were tightening salmon supervision in areas where the extent of illegal fishing is particularly high, such as in Vestland. Fisheries manager at the State Administrator in Vestland, Gry Walle, says they are “very concerned that so much illegal fishing is taking place”. – It is terribly annoying and sad. In Vestland, we simply need the Norwegian Nature Inspectorate to be very present, she says. Morten Kjørstad, director of the Norwegian Nature Conservancy, characterizes illegal net fishing as “a serious threat to the salmon population”. Photo: Statens naturoppsyn (SNO)
ttn-69
Serious increase in illegal salmon fishing – news Vestland
