New river bag limits in 2004

ill photo

The future of salmon can be driven like that of our moose hunting here in Norway. Tonnage limits could be set on all rivers here in Norway. Fishermen have reacted negative to the proposal put forward by Direktoratet for naturforvaltning (DN)

Gaula in Melhus

D.N have worked on different models for it’s future plans and fishermen are waiting with much anticipation. One fisherman that was interviewed has said that it is fine to introduce such a system so long as each river is evaluated on it total tonnage and sports fishermen are taken into account. Other journalists I have spoken to say this is long over due.

Kjell Nilsen from Trondheim has fished under the current daily bag limit and is sceptical that a river having a total bag limit is something that will not work in practice. For example he is a Gaula fisherman and has respected the three fish per day bag limit but he just can’t understand how any one can estimate and control a total tonnage for each and every river in Norway. He sites an example that anglers will not report their true catch.
Slow days on the river.

Anglers on Valdum have had it tough after the amazing start to the season. Half of this years tally was caught on opening day. Kjell commented that the three fish bag limit is not an easy task. In fact he went on to say that it is not that often that he “bags out”

Both Nilsen and his mate (Svein Malme from Oslo) can remember the dark days of the early 90’s were many rivers were empty of fish. Nilsen put forward a common problem that could arise if the river has a ceiling of 30 ton for example. What if you travel up north in August and arrive at the river of your dreams only to find it has reached its limit? All I have to say is read the papers or Internet all the information is out there.

Uncertain prognoses

Adviser Stig Johansson at fiskeseksjonen in Direktoratet for naturforvaltning explained that many factor must be considered before undertaking such a plan: For example what percent of fish survive the season to reach the spawning grounds, or other factors such as the sea-lice death rate. Stig has been quoted saying that this limit will apply for both for sea and river salmon fishing.
Øyvind Fjeldseth from Norges jeger- og fiskeforbund (Norway’s fishing and hunting organisation) explained that there is already a number of rivers that have a season limit. He mentioned that this report may never be enforced but the current report is not due until 2004 so time will tell what the results are.

Despite all the work the government is willing to undertake for the benefit of fishermen Nilsen is sceptical that the government can evaluate a correct number of salmon on a river-to-river basis. Yet an angler from Sogndal (Finn Geithus) agrees this is a great idea for rivers that have critical populations. His biggest concern is that the numbers of fish caught are but a percent of fish that die due to the constant sea-lice problem. He believes that the government should focus on the lice issue. This in his opinion would increase salmon numbers ten fold. This is a point I would agree with but in the mean time something must be done to preserve our wild salmon.

Skot