Home HomeSwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

Catastrophic Situation for Wild Salmon – New Fishing Ban

Experts and fishermen are testifying to a continued difficult situation for wild salmon in Sweden. Now, fishing is being stopped in yet another river. All signs unfortunately point to it being another catastrophic bad year in the rivers, says Thomas Johansson at Baltic Salmon Rivers in collaboration.

» Updated: 08 October 2024, 02:13

» Published: 24 June 2024

Catastrophic Situation for Wild Salmon – New Fishing Ban
Photo: Björn Larsson Ask/AP/TT

Experts and fishermen are testifying to a continued difficult situation for wild salmon in Sweden. Now, fishing is being stopped in another river.

All signs unfortunately point to it being another catastrophic year in the rivers, says Thomas Johansson at Östersjölaxälvar in collaboration.

Last week, salmon fishing was stopped in the Råne River in Norrbotten. The responsible association refers to the fact that the ascending salmon are alarmingly few so far this year.

On Sunday, it was announced that recreational fishing for salmon would also be stopped in the Dalälven River.

In total, a ban on catching salmon now applies to six of Sweden's 16 Östersjölaxälvar rivers.

Last year, a significant decrease in the number of salmon migrating up the rivers from the Baltic Sea was noted.

It looks like there will be a weak migration in 2024 as well, notes Inger Dahlgren, head of fish regulation at the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (Hav).

"Serious fault"

Testimonies from several watercourses point in that direction.

One example is the Byske River, known as one of the best rivers for salmon fishing, where around 1,000 ascending salmon have been noted until midsummer this year, according to Thomas Johansson, chairman of the Östersjölaxälvar organisation in collaboration.

That is about a third of the normal number.

It looks incredibly bleak. Something is seriously wrong with the Baltic Sea, says Thomas Johansson.

Ecosystem out of balance

Wild salmon venture out into the sea to feed for a few years before returning to their birth rivers for breeding. For a long time, the salmon populations in the rivers of northern Sweden improved, partly due to the reduced quotas for commercial fishing in the Baltic Sea.

It is difficult to find direct causal links to the recent deterioration, which may prove to be temporary. However, it is known that the environment in the Baltic Sea is heavily pressured by, among other things, eutrophication, fishing, and climate change.

We have an ecosystem that is not quite in balance, says Johan Höjesjö, professor of ecological zoology at the University of Gothenburg.

The trawl fishing of herring in the Baltic Sea, which is food for salmon, has been highlighted as a problem.

Unfortunately, it's the bycatch that's trawled up and ends up in pellet factories for farmed salmon, which isn't quite right, says Johan Höjesjö.

Comprehensive fishing ban in Norway

In Norway, the authorities decided last week to temporarily stop all salmon fishing in the southern parts of the country. A similar, centrally made decision is not currently being considered in Sweden.

We haven't deemed it necessary yet, says Håkan Carlstrand, investigator at the fish regulation unit at Hav.

However, we are reviewing the regulations for fishing successively, and it may definitely be included in the next review.

A total ban on catching salmon currently applies to six of Sweden's 16 Östersjölaxälvar rivers with wild populations:

Råne River

Kåge River

Sävarån River

Ljungan River

Testeboån River

Emån River

Source: Östersjölaxälvar in collaboration

Tags
TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Kristersson skips the climate summit
1 MIN READ

Kristersson skips the climate summit

Audit: Kinberg Batra's severance package not incorrect
1 MIN READ

Audit: Kinberg Batra's severance package not incorrect

Trapped under a work machine – taken to hospital
1 MIN READ

Trapped under a work machine – taken to hospital

Deadly Synthetic Opioids Classified as Narcotics
2 MIN READ

Deadly Synthetic Opioids Classified as Narcotics

Dropped investigation against Jomshof for hate crime
1 MIN READ

Dropped investigation against Jomshof for hate crime

The Government Extends Border Control
1 MIN READ

The Government Extends Border Control

Swedes arrested for terrorist crimes in Copenhagen
2 MIN READ

Swedes arrested for terrorist crimes in Copenhagen

Two students stabbed at school in Hallsberg
2 MIN READ

Two students stabbed at school in Hallsberg

Unannounced visits, a new weapon against benefit fraud
2 MIN READ

Unannounced visits, a new weapon against benefit fraud

16-year-old convicted of murder plan in Denmark
2 MIN READ

16-year-old convicted of murder plan in Denmark

Social Democrats' demands on Kristersson: EU plan for Ukraine support
2 MIN READ

Social Democrats' demands on Kristersson: EU plan for Ukraine support

Suspects Released After School Operation
1 MIN READ

Suspects Released After School Operation

The Verdict: Cannabis in the Blood of Pastry Poisoning Victims
1 MIN READ

The Verdict: Cannabis in the Blood of Pastry Poisoning Victims

The Kumla hackers gained access to "almost everything"
2 MIN READ

The Kumla hackers gained access to "almost everything"

Criminal got job as social worker
1 MIN READ

Criminal got job as social worker

Woman dies after being hit by a car in Västerås
1 MIN READ

Woman dies after being hit by a car in Västerås

Voluntary for Municipalities to Employ Doctors
1 MIN READ

Voluntary for Municipalities to Employ Doctors

In Malmö, we commemorate Kristallnacht
1 MIN READ

In Malmö, we commemorate Kristallnacht

The gap is increasing – more women than men continue to study
1 MIN READ

The gap is increasing – more women than men continue to study

Man Shot at in Kista – Escaped Unharmed
1 MIN READ

Man Shot at in Kista – Escaped Unharmed