Norwegian anglers face new restrictions

The Norwegian Environment Agency is to limit recreational salmon fishing next year, as fears about wild stocks continue.

In the summer the agency banned fishing in 33 rivers and adjacent seas but later eased back on the decision.

Sports groups blamed salmon farms as one reason why stocks were running so low – a claim denied by the industry, pointing out that the problem is also affecting areas where there were no salmon farms.

The problem is that very few salmon have been entering Norwegian rivers over the past two years.

The Environment Agency is now proposing to further restrict activity in areas where there are very few wild salmon.

Agency director Ellen Hambro said: “In order to create the greatest possible predictability for river owners and salmon fishermen, we want to be early with our preliminary assessments of how we will regulate salmon fishing next season.”

She said that until now, salmon fishing has started every summer with the expectation that roughly the same amount of salmon will enter the rivers as in previous years.

Where there have been fewer salmon than expected, fishing rights are being tightened. From next year, the directorate will plan for a more cautious start to salmon fishing, where more locations can be opened up for fishing later if enough salmon arrive in the rivers.

The changes will also have consequences on how sea salmon fishing should be regulated.

“We will return to changes in the regulations for sea salmon fishing when we know more about which rivers and sea areas it is necessary to be extra careful next summer,” Hambro added.