In recent years, a decrease in the number of salmon in several Danish rivers has been observed, leading to the closure of salmon quotas earlier than expected to protect the population. This trend is not isolated to Denmark but is also seen throughout Northern Europe. To understand and address the problem, the Danish Sports Fishing Association, in collaboration with anglers from Norway, Sweden, Germany, and England, has formed a task force.
Kaare Manniche Ebert, a biologist at the Danish Sports Fishing Association, explains that the purpose of the task force is to exchange information on the situation of salmon in their respective countries and share knowledge about possible reasons for the decline. “There are many factors that can come into play,” says Ebert. “We want to investigate, among other things, the extent to which salmon fry are caught as bycatch in industrial fishing.”
One of the possible explanations that Ebert points to is changes in industrial fishing in the area between Norway and Iceland, where young salmon spend a few months. Also, cormorants and diseases are mentioned as factors that can negatively affect salmon. “It is important that we continue to work on reducing the local pressure factors, such as cormorants here at home and salmon farming and sea lice in Norway,” emphasizes Ebert.
The task force held its first meeting in July and plans to meet again in August to discuss their further work and the next steps in their efforts to protect salmon.