In 2021, fewer salmon returned from the sea and into the rivers than ever before. But thanks to the strict limits on salmon fishing, even if enough salmon were able to participate in the spawning. This is reported by the Norwegian Environment Agency, which is working to build up the salmon population, which has struggled against the current for many years. – Was disastrously bad Last year there were new austerity measures. They reduced the possibility of fishing in the sea considerably, and in many waterways there was also a complete standstill. Among other things, this applied to Lærdalselva, one of King Harald’s favorite rivers. There have also been restrictions in the Nausta watercourse in Sunnfjord municipality. It has been completely emergency weighing, believes Eiliv Erdal, leader of the river owners’ association and deputy member of the board of Norske Lakseelver. – Had it not been for the strict quotas, we would never have been able to reach the spawning population target last year or the years before that. Among other things, it has only been allowed to fish one salmon per fisherman as well as a collective quota in the waterfalls. A total of 403,000 wild salmon returned from the sea as spawning fish in 2021. The figure also includes caught fish, says a report from the Scientific Council for Salmon Management. Last year, 82,000 salmon were reported caught in seas and rivers. In the rivers, close to 40 percent were released. Erdaø is happy that the rivers are producing enough spawning fish. Strict restrictions are necessary, says Eiliv Erdal of the river owners’ association in Nausta. He looks forward to the situation normalizing. Photo: Ole Kristian Svalheim There are also strict quotas this year, but thanks to a lot of water in the rivers, it went much better this year than last year. Last year’s season was the worst ever. Erdal hopes that the strict restrictions will mean that fishing can pick up significantly next year, both in Nausta and in other parts of the country. – A good portion of the fish will return, and next year I hope and believe there may be some large salmon. I also hope for a good insight into small fish. For the river owners’ association in Naustdal, they hope that the future looks brighter and that they can gradually relax the strict restrictions of one salmon per fisherman. Halving in the last 30 years The restrictions that came last year were necessary, the Norwegian Environment Agency believes. Salmon, sea otters and char are a limited resource that must therefore be regulated, they write. During the last 30 years, the salmon population that returns to the rivers after migrating to the sea has been halved. The figure shows the development in salmon fishing in the river, sea and in total for the years 1993–2021. Photo: GRAFIKK / SSB There are several reasons for this, including salmon lice, escaped farmed fish, climate change and water power regulation. Last year, the wild salmon was redlisted. Jens Olav Flekke, chairman of the Reddvillaksen foundation, says strict restrictions are the way to go, but that this must also be followed up by the authorities. He thinks we are not above any “freedom” in salmon fishing any time soon. – The time when it seemed like there was no limit to salmon and sea otters is probably over, he says.
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