– The situation is serious and shows that the measures to close fishing in the sea and river were necessary. And in many places it will be necessary to take measures to close. That’s according to senior researcher Torbjørn Forseth at the Norwegian Institute for Natural Sciences (NINA). – The situation has not improved, especially in southern Norway, he adds. Recently, new counts and data have been reviewed from the closed salmon rivers and from rivers that are still open. The report shows: The catch of medium and large salmon is weak south of Nordland. North of Trøndelag, the catch varies a lot between the waterways and it is difficult to give a clear picture. In Troms and Western Finnmark, conditions are better than in other parts of the country. But in the Varangerfjord there are significantly fewer salmon than before. The Norwegian Environment Agency stopped salmon fishing in 33 rivers and lakes from 23 June. – Now it looks just as bad in southern Norway up to and including the Trondheimsfjord. There is a low level of insight and especially of the largest salmon, says Forseth. Next week, the Norwegian Environment Agency will decide where salmon fishing will and will not continue this summer. Today’s mid-season evaluation from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research will have an impact on the Environment Agency’s conclusion, which should be ready between 8 and 10 July. – It will be exciting to see what they come up with, points out the senior researcher. Historically bad Last year’s salmon fishing was the worst ever, and catches of wild salmon fell sharply. – If we have another bad season, as it seems, it is incredibly important that there are still enough spawning fish this year. If not, it could affect the future of both fishing in the rivers and fishing in the lakes, says Forseth. In 2022, 97,678 wild salmon were caught by anglers in Norwegian salmon rivers. The figure for 2023 was 70,593. The wild oxen is on the red list in the Norwegian Species Data Bank and is assessed as “near threatened”. – I have been worried for a long time. This is another sign that things are not going well, even if the fishing conditions were probably a little bad in 2023, researcher Torbjørn Forseth told news in January this year. This year, the objection of wild salmon looks worse, said Director of the Norwegian Environment Agency, Ellen Hambro, when salmon fishing was closed a couple of weeks ago. – In many rivers where large salmon make up a significant part of the stock, catches so far are far below half compared to recent years, Hambro stated in a press release. And if there are two bad years with few spawning fish in the rivers, it will be felt in the future. The senior researcher describes the situation as dramatic. – For future production, we depend on there being enough spawning fish every year, adds Forseth. Follow the situation in your river here The report Friday morning there was a meeting between NINA and the Norwegian Environment Agency, where the mid-season evaluation was reviewed. Here there is a status in the salmon rivers from north to south in the country. – We go through catches from rivers that are still open to fishing in the country, information from wedge seine stations and what is available from video counts from Scandinavian nature monitoring. Then we go through all the closed waterways and present data from them, says senior researcher Torbjørn Forseth. He has helped create a new report from the Scientific Council for Salmon Management, which states that the impact of salmon farming and climate change are the biggest threats to wild salmon. Other major threats to salmon are physical interventions in waterways and hydropower production. These are the rivers that are closed in Østfold: Glomma m. Aagardselva. Agder: Tovdalselva, Otra, Mandalselva, Lygna Rogaland: Figgjo, Hjelmelandsåna, Nordelva (Åbøelva), Vikedalselva. Westland: Uskedalselva, Steinsdalselva, Oselva, Nærøydalselva, Sogndalselva, Daleelva, Gaula in Sunnfjorden, Nausta, Åelva and Ommedalselva, Gloppenelva, Strynselva, Hjalma. Møre and Romsdal: Austefjordelva, Korsbrekkelva, Rauma, Eira, Surna. Trøndelag: Orkla, Gaula, Nidelva, Stjørdalselva, Verdalselva, Steinkjerelva and Byaelva, the Namsen River including the Høylands River and Sanddøla. Source: Norwegian Environment Agency Excitement among salmon students This year’s introduction of salmon into Norwegian rivers is historically low, says general secretary of Norwegian Salmon Students, Torfinn Evensen. He says the “collapse” in the salmon objection is very unexpected. – Such an abrupt and unexpected shutdown is dramatic, and the consequences are numerous both socially and financially, says Evensen. Now they are excited about what will happen next week. First, they will go through the mid-season evaluation from the Norwegian Institute for Natural Research. – We have to work with the professional councils with a view to how we can adapt and tighten the fishing rules so that we can open fishing in some rivers, and possibly close them where there is no harvestable surplus, he says. Wild salmon migrates from river to sea Wild salmon live their first years in the river. The salmon swims through the fjord and further into the sea. When the salmon are big enough, they swim back to the river to reproduce and spawn. Wild salmon almost always find their way back to the river they grew up in. Source: National Wild Salmon Center Published 05.07.2024, at 12.53 Updated 05.07.2024, at 14.51
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The objection is weak south of Nordland – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
