Humpback salmon 2026: How to deal with the increasing occurrence of humpback salmon in Norwegian rivers and fjords? Management requires knowledge

Norwegian Fishermen Demand Clarity on Pink Salmon Harvest to Prevent 'Rotting in Rivers'

NORWAY
Friday, January 23, 2026, 05:30 (GMT + 9)

Urgent Call for Commercial Opening Following Successful Sea Trials in Finnmark

ALTA – As the 2026 fishing season approaches, local fishermen and scientists are putting pressure on authorities to greenlight commercial sea fishing for the invasive humpback salmon (Pink salmon - Oncorhynchus gorbuscha). During the Humpback Salmon 2026 conference held in Alta on Tuesday, January 20, stakeholders argued that the time for experimentation has passed and the time for industry preparation has begun.

Erling Haugan, leader of the fishing association in Bugøynes, warned that a lack of immediate clarification from management could leave the fleet empty-handed. Haugan, who led experimental trials on the south side of Varanger in the summer of 2025, stressed that fishermen need lead time to invest in specialized equipment.

"Without clarification now, we risk being unprepared if fishing is opened. These are investments that require time; fishermen need months to procure and adapt nets," Haugan stated.

Promising Research and Environmental Safety

The conference, organized by FHF (the Norwegian Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry’s Research Funding Agency), presented data suggesting that sea-based harvest is not only viable but environmentally safe. Frank Jakobsen, Head of Research at FHF, noted that modified, small-meshed gear has solved previous concerns regarding bycatch.

The research highlighted several effective methods:

• Modified wedge nets and land seines.

• Purse seines operated from smaller "shark" vessels.

• Zero mortality recorded for non-target species such as Atlantic salmon, sea char, and sea trout in the Finnmark trials.

Jakobsen emphasized that the primary hurdle—ensuring the protection of native Atlantic salmon—has been cleared. "The goal is to find solutions that contribute to value creation in coastal communities while reducing the burden on river spawning grounds," he said.

Economic Opportunity vs. Environmental Waste

The invasive species is expected to return in massive numbers during the summer of 2026. Currently, millions of kroner are spent on trapping and destroying the fish once they reach the rivers to prevent them from rotting and damaging the ecosystem. Haugan and his colleagues at the Institute of Marine Research argue that catching them at sea transforms an environmental threat into a commercial resource.

"I hope we don't have another season where fishermen stand on the docks watching the humpback salmon swim by, only for them to be destroyed in the rivers," Haugan concluded. "We have shown we can fish responsibly. The time has come."

Source: FHF

[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Print