On Friday, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry held a press conference in Utsjoki to explain the necessity of the ban on salmon fishing in the Teno. Locals believe that the total ban is unfair in many ways.
On Friday, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry presented the Natural Resources Institute’s report on the state of salmon stocks in the Teno River in Utsjoki. The stocks are still at a low level due to, among other things, heavy fishing pressure along the coast and in the fjords.
The salmon fishing ban has allowed a slight increase in spawning stocks during this and last year. However, the wild salmon stock is not expected to recover next year.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has proposed an extension of the ban on trawling in the Teno River. The ban will start at the beginning of June and last until the end of the year.
Local fishermen and the municipality of Utsjoki wonder why Tenojoki is the only one that is regulated to save salmon. According to Utsjoki, Norwegians should also participate in the fishing ban talks.
Fishing in the rivers of Finnmark in Norway continues as before, and there are no further restrictions on salmon fishing in Norwegian fjords.
– It’s really unfortunate that such a decision had to be made again, but hopefully the recovering Tenojoki will remain, and there will be more mother fish in order to move forward in the future.
The municipality wants compensation for losses
The municipality of Utsjoki proposes that salmon fishing is allowed for local fishing right holders for ten days from the beginning of July onwards, also allowing rod fishing. The municipality justifies the presentation with the preservation and transfer of the traditional fishing knowledge of the River Sami to the next generations.
The municipality of Utsjoki has also proposed that, in order to revive the salmon stocks, a reciprocal salmon fishing ban and restrictions will also be imposed in the sea area and in Norway.
– We propose to the state the establishment of a special Salmon Center in Utsjoki to compensate for the loss caused by the ban on salmon fishing. It could be located, for example, at the corner of Onnela, and there would be activities focused on nurturing the Sámi fishing heritage, says Taina Pieski.
You have to get used to humpbacks and other fish
However, fishing and the practice of fishing culture in Tenojoki will not end completely, as the presented restrictions only apply to salmon fishing. Regarding other species, changes to the fishing rules will be negotiated with Norway in early 2023.
Fishing for trout and other species offers opportunities for maintaining traditional fishing knowledge and for tourism.
The negotiations regarding salmon fishing have had to be carried out on an urgent schedule this year, because the strong restrictions require consideration by the parliament during the current election period.
In addition to the ban on salmon fishing, the government proposes fishing for humpback salmon, a non-native species, which prepares for the likely strong rise of humpback salmon next year.
Both Norway and Finland have plans to promote humpback salmon removal methods.
Tenojoki is one of the world’s most important breeding rivers for Atlantic salmon. There are about 30 different salmon stocks in the Tenojoki watershed.