Debate Article
This is a debate article written by an external contributor. The article expresses the views of the writer.
We are in the same boat, we harvest from the same red-listed species, the wild salmon. The right to salmon fishing applies to landowners in rivers and seas, leased or owned. We fish for escaped farmed salmon and engage in voluntary efforts to deal with bycatch of pink salmon. We are both fishing for mixed stocks, something not everyone is aware of. We have joint management. Landowners and fishermen have incomes from salmon fishing.
Distribution
So why do we ALWAYS experience the most cuts in fishing time and season at sea? This is distribution, not management. 80% of the country is closed to sea salmon fishing; is the average man or woman on the street aware of this? At the same time, fishing is still allowed in the rivers in areas where sea salmon fishing is prohibited, every summer for several months. Many now call for new cuts at sea before 2025. We sea salmon fishers demand that the authorities address this unfair distribution, and immediately close the rivers that flow into fjord and coastal regions where sea salmon fishing is closed in Norway. This must happen BEFORE there is talk of further cuts in sea salmon fishing in Norway. We are very critical of the management not following the same practice in both “camps.” Today there are only 265 sea salmon fishermen left (956 fishermen in 2020). We alone caught almost 100,000 pink salmon in 2023 as bycatch in regular fishing, an enormous voluntary effort, and that without a single state crown.
Catch and Release
The wild salmon is on the red list, and we cannot continue with catch and release as a management practice. If the stocks are vulnerable, they cannot endure the risks of catch-and-release. A cautious estimate shows a total mortality of catch and release of 10-17% (NINA report). At the same time, mortality increases with rising water temperature in the river (read: warmer summers). It is directly irresponsible management to allow catch and release as a standard practice.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has stated that catch and release of fish is ethically questionable because the angler inflicts pain and stress on the fish solely for their own experience. Furthermore, in catch and release, it takes less for the stress to be considered “unnecessary” compared to regular fishing (for food). Likewise, there are stricter requirements for proper and gentle treatment when the fish is not to be killed and eaten.
Precautionary Principle
Vulnerable stocks surely require a halt in river fishing as well? It seems that this precautionary principle does not apply in rivers. We are fishing a common resource, aren’t we? Catch and release to be able to continue fishing is a high-stakes gamble with the red-listed wild salmon. All possible measures like bag limits, catch-and-release, daily quotas, weekly quotas, seasonal quotas, etc., are no longer sufficient. River fishing continues in closed areas. This cannot be sustainable management.
Balancing Risk
The management seeks to balance the risk of overfishing against the consequences of closure measures, it is stated. Our experience is that this does not apply to us sea salmon fishers. This summer, 33 rivers were closed due to the risk of having too few fish at spawning grounds. A few weeks later, half were reopened under strong pressure from landowners and fishermen in the affected rivers. Sea salmon fishing was not reopened in the same area!
Emotions and Economy
We understand the landowners in the rivers, who despair over the drastic reduction in their income this year. This is firsthand experience for sea salmon fishermen across the country, having gone through decades of cuts and closures of fjords and coastal areas. Landowners in rivers depend on salmon fishing as part of their livelihood. We are in the same boat here as well.
“Now every salmon really counts”
What about closing all rivers in the areas where sea salmon fishing is already prohibited? Furthermore, ending the season by July 15 and implementing weekend closures in all rivers in the country. Then we can approach similar practices in salmon management.
Finnmark Law, if resources are scarce
The local population is prioritized. Landowners and salmon anglers in rivers and seas residing in Finnmark should be the last to cut their fishing. If the stocks are large enough for further harvesting, tourists from near and far can be allowed in. This should be enforced in all our rivers. An important principle ahead of the revision of fishing rules in sea and rivers for 2025.
FEFO Consultation, deadline January 15
The Sør-Varanger Sea Salmon Fishing Club is very critical of the digital survey sent out by our joint landowner, Finnmark Estate. This is not a consultation. When questions are posed with given answer options, this is, by definition, a survey. A consultation, on the other hand, is an inquiry to the affected parties to gather written statements on a matter. We therefore encourage members and other fishermen to contact their association/club for input for a joint written consultation on the matter. Do not respond to this survey.
Consultation
As an affected party, on behalf of our rights holders and as a nationwide organization, the Sør-Varanger Sea Salmon Fishing Club now requests consultation on the matter. Likewise, the Sámediggi – the Sámi Parliament must be consulted in principle.
Merry Christmas to everyone in both camps, river and sea. For our shared resource, the Atlantic salmon.