Norway limits wild salmon fishing as stocks hit new lows

Pallade Veneta - Norway limits wild salmon fishing as stocks hit new lows

Norway limits wild salmon fishing as stocks hit new lows / Photo: Joël SAGET - AFP

Norwegian authorities on Friday rolled out fresh restrictions on wild salmon fishing for 2025 after stocks hit record lows in recent years, with scientists blaming fish farms.

Change text size:

"After several years of decline in the number of salmon swimming upstream to spawn.... we consider it necessary to take precautions," said the head of the Norwegian Environment Agency, Ellen Hambro.

"This means more restricted fishing at the start of the season, with the possibility of opening it up for more later if the number of salmon returning is considered sufficient," she added in a statement.

After hatching and spending several years in freshwater, wild salmon head out to the sea where they spend one to three years before returning to their river to reproduce.

It is usually at that point that they are caught by recreational fishermen.

But the number of salmon returning to their rivers to spawn has dropped significantly in recent years, falling to record lows in 2021 and 2023.

Alarmed by this development, the Environment Agency had already shut 33 rivers and sea waters along Norway's entire southern coast to wild salmon fishing on June 24.

A scientific council on salmon management -- an independent body set up by the Environment Agency -- has pointed the finger at salmon farming in submerged cages in the fjords.

Due to the high concentration of fish in the fish farms, sea lice and other diseases run rampant and end up infecting the young wild salmon swimming nearby.

In addition, when the farmed fish escape their cages and mix with the wild salmon, they weaken the genetic make-up of their wild counterparts.

Climate change is also believed to play a role, as it affects the food chain the salmon feed on as well as increasing the likelihood and intensity of periods of drought.

T.Galgano--PV

Worcestershire road closures announced for Remembrance Sunday events

MOTORISTS are being warned to expect road closures across Worcestershire this weekend as towns and villages come together to mark Remembrance Sunday. A number of parades and services will take place this Sunday (November 8), giving residents the opportunity to remember members of the Armed Forces who have served and lost their lives in wars and other conflicts.

Kuwait marks key events and anniversaries from national history

KUWAIT: Following are events that took place in Kuwait on November 4: 1984 — Poet Abdullah Al-Sanan, whose poems reflected social, economic and political changes, died at the age of 67. 1990 — Syrian forces arrived in the Saudi port of Yanbu to join the international coalition troops stationed in Saudi Arabia to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation.

Qatar media bodies discuss support for humanitarian initiatives

Qatar Media Corporation, in collaboration with the Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (RACA), organized a seminar titled 'Developmental Media and Philanthropic Work: A Partnership for Sustainable Impact' to mark World Development Information Day. The event featured the participation of a distinguished group of media professionals, experts, and representatives from various charitable and humanitarian organizations and associations in Qatar.

Vessel operator seeks witnesses after Vancouver grounding

VANCOUVER — The operator of a vessel that ran aground on a sandbar off Vancouver last month says “malicious” tampering was the cause and he’s urging witnesses to come forward. Kevin Skewes, the owner of Spirit Cruises, says someone hit the Pride of Vancouver’s kill switch on the night of Oct.