A battle against the clock is underway. Humpback salmon have already invaded several rivers in northern Norway. Next summer, the experts reckon that there will be even more of him, and that the fish will come even further south. It is no less than a nightmare for the Norwegian wild salmon, which is already on the red list. But now the government is giving more money to be able to hunt humpback salmon. In addition, they will let the sea fishermen fish for the salmon in the sea. Coastal fishermen: – Very good idea Einar Juliussen is a coastal fisherman and vice-chairman of Vest-Finnmark coastal fishermen’s association. – There is a lot of politics in this, and who will be the savior who saves the rivers from the humpback salmon. But if it is to be a resource, we must take it into the sea, says Einar Juliussen. Photo: Private He is among those who have had the most to do with humpback salmon so far, since the stock has been the largest in Finnmark. – We have said it all along; The humpback salmon is and can become a great resource. But you cannot eat the fish after it has spawned. Then the fish rots. And humpback salmon are already spawning in the estuary, according to the fisherman. That is why he says one must fish the foreign salmon in the sea. The humpback salmon die in the rivers after spawning. – The stock has become so large that it can become a commercial fishery in the sea. If you want to get value out of it, you have to fish there, says Juliussen. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news – If nature wants it this way, the population will be as large as it is in Russia in the long term. The fisherman is also not worried that it will be difficult to sell the fish. There is already an international market for humpback salmon in places like Alaska. Want to commercialize fishing Fisheries and oceans minister Bjørnar Skjæran (Ap) says the humpback salmon is a foreign species. Therefore, fish is primarily the responsibility of the Minister for Climate and Environment. But to prevent the fish from spawning in the Norwegian rivers, they have to stop him before he reaches the river. That means when the fish is in the sea. Therefore, the humpback salmon is now also Skjæran’s responsibility. Photo: Malin Nygård Solberg / news – To succeed in this, we must also develop reliable fishing in the sea and limit the number of fish that enter the rivers. This is where the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries can contribute, he says. Before the humpback salmon spawns, it is healthy and good food, says Skjæran. – Both for this reason, and because it is clearly important to take effective measures before it starts its migration up the rivers, I want the fishing to be commercialised. In 2021, several efforts were made to get humpback salmon out of Norwegian rivers. Here from Vestre Jakobselv in July 2021. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / Hanne Wilhelms But the challenge is to do it without burdening the wild salmon population. He and the climate and environment minister will return to how they will do it later. – With the strong increase of this alien species that is expected in the future, there is a large and important work that must be done. Risk of contagion to farming Eirik Frøiland, senior adviser in the Norwegian Environment Agency, says that the problem with humpback salmon can quickly reach further than Norway. If one does not succeed in reversing the development, the salmon can very quickly become very numerous not only in rivers throughout Norway, but also in other countries with coasts along the Atlantic Ocean. The government has allowed this to stop the spread of Pukkel salmon. 25.3 million have been allowed in 2023. This is an increase from 2022, when 15 million were allowed. The money will mainly be used to carry out the most effective fishing measures. Efforts in the hardest-hit areas are prioritized. Purchase of fishing traps and wages for staffing the traps are the two largest expenditure items. The consequences for sea fishing must be looked at. The report will provide a basis for assessing what the consequences will be for the population of Danish nose fish if they make changes to the regulations to increase the catch of humpback salmon in the sea. – It can have many negative consequences for natural fish stocks, for ecosystems in and along the waterway and for water quality, says Frøiland. In addition, there is a risk that humpback salmon can be infected between farms. In 2021, approximately 72 tonnes of humpback salmon were caught in the sea. Eirik Frøiland, senior advisor at the Norwegian Environment Agency, says that a few humpback salmon do little harm, but that the risk increases in line with the quantities. Photo: Terje Trobe / The Environment Agency The Environment Agency is now considering how the extraction in the sea can be increased, without at the same time catching more Atlantic salmon, sea otters and sea trout. – The Norwegian Environment Agency will process applications for experimental fishing for humpback salmon in the sea in dialogue with the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, says the senior adviser. A shoal of 300-400 dying humpback salmon in Vestre Jakobselv, Vadsø – Good for our fishermen The Storting representative for Nordland Høgre, Bård Ludvig Thorheim, also rejoices that there is now agreement in the government to allow regulated fishing of humpback salmon. – The government has received a lot of opposition, but here I would like to give the government great praise, says Thorheim. – I know there have been opposing forces who believe that humpback salmon should not be seen as a food resource. But he is, and this gives a stronger measure against him. – It is very important, because there is so much that you cannot manage to have catching methods in all rivers. That’s why you can’t take everything away. But now we get fishing in addition, says Storting representative for Nordland Høgre, Bård Ludvig Thorheim Photo: Benjamin Fredriksen / news – This is very good for our fishermen too. They have the expertise. If they get a set of regulations, they do this free of charge. Then it can also be a nice side income. Thorheim points out that it does not cost money to start humpback salmon fishing. Then the government can use the money they have allowed, for example, on salmon traps. In several places in the country, traps have previously been set out to count humpback salmon. Now the traps can be used to get out humpback salmon that are not caught in the sea and make their way up the rivers. In addition, right-wing politicians, like the coastal fishermen’s association, see humpback salmon as a resource. – Then we use the food resource at the same time as we limit it in the rivers where it is a threat to the wild Atlantic salmon. Now it says that it is up to the ministries in the government to find a way to catch the humpback salmon, so that the wild Atlantic salmon is not harmed. – As long as the regulations come early in the new year, the fishermen will adapt their fishing trips early and start fishing in the summer.
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The government wants to commercialize humpback salmon fishing and provides extra money to fight it – news Nordland
