Illegal fishing worst in the north

A total length of 18 kilometers of fishing nets have been confiscated by the Norwegian Nature Inspectorate in Norwegian waters this year, which can be compared to 12 kilometers last year, indicating an increase in illegal fishing for salmon, brown trout and arctic char. The nets also show an increase in mesh width compared to earlier years as well as a greater number of interlinked nets, which suggest that they have been used specifically for fishing salmon.

“Much of the fishing targets vulnerable fish populations. An increase in the illegal fishing might force us to put stricter regulations also on the legal salmon fishing, informs Yngve Svarte from the Norwegian Environmental Agency in a recent article.

The northern regions are overrepresented among the cases of illegal fishing and, among the total of 360 confiscations, 115 were made in Troms county, followed by Nordland and Finnmark county with 67 and 58 confiscations each.

“Illegal fishing at the levels we now experience is a serious environmental crime. We will follow the development closely also in the coming year, says Pål Prestrud, director in the Norwegian Nature Inspectorate in the article.