An expert group appointed by the Norwegian Environment Agency believes that it is technically possible to stop humpback salmon in the lower parts of the large salmon rivers in Finnmark. But there is a very big catch to the good news: The practical solutions have not yet been tested or produced. And in the summer, the unwanted humpback salmon will return. – You are in a very bad position. There is only one thing to say: You should have come much, much further, says Benn Larsen, director of the Tanavassdraget Fisheries Management. – One should have come much, much further in the work to combat humpback salmon, says Benn Larsen, director of the Tanavassdraget’s Fisheries Management. Photo: Sidsel Vik / news Larsen is very worried about how the coming season will develop in the watercourse which has traditionally been the most important for Atlantic salmon. – Two years ago, around 50,000 humpback salmon were registered. If we expect it to increase tenfold, at worst we can expect half a million humpback salmon by summer, says Larsen. The challenge becomes clear when you do the math: – That means 11,100 humpback salmon a day for six weeks. There is no physical fence that can practically handle it if you are going to take everything into the river. It is associated with great difficulties and great risk for the wild salmon. The Tanae river has an enormous water flow, and the salmon traps must be sized accordingly. Photo: Petteri Selin / Unsplash Taking it step by step In several smaller rivers, large quantities of humpback salmon have been harvested for charity. An expert group that has worked on the case believes that it is possible to stop the unwanted species also in the large waterways, such as the Tana, Neiden and Alta. But the technical solution is not finished. Senior adviser Sturla Brørs in the Norwegian Environment Agency says that they have to take it step by step. – This year we are building a barrier solution that is based on what the Tanavassdraget Fisheries Management carried out as a pilot project last year. It is possible that we can use elements from what the expert group has put forward in this year’s measures. When it comes to more permanent measures, it essentially needs to be investigated more thoroughly. Brørs cannot go into detail about how the barrier will work. – We have a number of ideas on the drawing board. Then we have to work on clarifying which option it is possible to go for this year. Climate and Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide (left) is blamed for the fact that the fight against humpback salmon has not progressed further. Here he is with political adviser Maria Varteressian, Benn Larsen and Hans Erik Varsi. Photo: EILIF ASLAKSEN / news Have not tested sorting Benn Larsen is unsure whether the pilot project was successful. They blocked off the river across, but have not tested any traps to sort the salmon species. The Tana is a large river with large quantities of salmon, and will need solutions that cope with this. – There are no traps designed to be set in the Tanavassdraget. Many have said that it is possible to stop the humpback salmon in Tana, but we have yet to see concretely how it will be solved. According to Brørs, there are risks associated with stopping humpback salmon – and at the same time letting wild salmon and other local fish past the trap unharmed. – There is a lot of uncertainty as to how the fish will behave in the face of the barrier fence and barrier system, and how the water flow will be. Not least, the temperature can become critical in lower Tana in the summer. Larsen thinks the state has procrastinated, and puts the responsibility on the Minister for the Environment that they have not come further. – The Minister of the Environment is solely responsible for the management of salmon in the Tanavassdraget. They have shown some interest in it, but have largely ignored the local population until now. Political adviser Maria Varteressian and Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide look at fishing equipment that has been tested on humpback salmon in the Tanaelva. Dan Vidar Rasmus from the Tanavassdragets fiskeforvaltning (TF) explains during an inspection in August last year. Photo: EILIF ASLAKSEN / news Brørs believes that the directorate has worked hard on the case, but that it is complicated. – It is clear that we would have liked to have made it clear earlier. We have to get things investigated well enough, and then funding for the whole thing must be put in place. It’s a big process. We would like to go further, but we are where we are. It is uncertain how large quantities of humpback salmon will arrive in the summer. Brørs will not dismiss the prediction that there may be half a million. – It can happen. We understand that there may be a multiple. Different responsibilities for different waterways Benn Larsen is dismayed that humpback salmon have multiplied in formidable numbers. Larsen believes that they have not had the freedom of action locally to tackle the problem themselves. He points out that the local administration has previously had to send applications to the Norwegian Environment Agency to be allowed to take out humpback salmon. Two-year-old salmon fry (Atlantic salmon) at top. The humpback salmon at the bottom is approximately nine months old. Photo: EILIF ASLAKSEN / news – In 2019, our director sent a message to the Norwegian Environment Agency in August and asked that we be allowed to fish for humpback salmon in the river with net gear. But there was no one present who could process the application. It was summer and vacation time. When permission finally came, the salmon had reached spawning. According to Larsen, they asked for help and support also before the 2021 season. When the money came on the table, it was too little and too late for it to be enough, he claims. Demand for fishing in the sea Tanavassdraget’s Fisheries Management has been clear from day one, says Benn Larsen: – If we are to be able to take some control, we must take out humpback salmon while it is still in the sea in cooperation with the sea salmon fishermen. As far as I know, neither the expert committee nor anyone else has spoken to the sea salmon fishermen with a view to fishing for humpback salmon in the sea. The directorate will provide more information about salmon fishing in the sea in the near future, and it will be discussed at a meeting in Tana on Tuesday. The risk of harming the wild salmon has initially made them skeptical. – Even if there is active stocking of local fish, Atlantic salmon and sea trout, there will be mortality linked to take-out fishing in the sea as well. So that trade-off is difficult, concludes Brørs.
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Still don’t have the solution to stop the invasion of humpback salmon in Tanaelva – news Troms and Finnmark
