Saline trauma in Bodø is one of the strongest in the world eddiesand attracts tourists from all over the world, including many fishermen.
Over the years, extensive fishing has resulted in the bottom now almost covered with old fishing gear, especially sinkers and various forms of line, according to Vebjørn Karlsen, longtime diver and member of “The Saltstraumen Marine Conservation Area Interest Group“.
TIDAL COURSE: Saltstraumen is a tidal flow between Straumøya and Godøya (Knaplundsøya) in the municipality of Bodø in Nordland. Photo: Vebjørn Karlsen
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Previously he talked about the concerns of NRK Nordland.
Karlsen tells Dagbladet that volunteer divers, several times a year, try to clean up the bottom of old fishing tackle waste. An agreement has been made with the Nordland state administrator that they will be paid for this job.
– Since they started logging and weighing this, between 11 and 12 tons of devourers have now been collected, says Karlsen.
But continue:
– It’s just a small fraction of everything that’s left over there. You can probably multiply the number by one hundred.
SNAILS: We see a lot of fish that have sluices and crustaceans that are tied up in line, says Karlsen. Photo: Vebjørn Karlsen
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– Deadly traps as well
According to Karlsen, this has become a major problem for life at sea.
– The nylon line is so strong that if you get stuck, you can’t break free. The impact this has on maritime life cannot be measured, she believes.
He says the problem also affects the birds.
– Seabirds that dive for mussels, get stuck in lines and drown. Here we witness daily animal tragedies. We see many fish that contain swallows and crustaceans tied in a line, she says.
– This has become an area with an increasing amount of pure death traps, he adds.
NYLON LINES: Nylon lines tear the perennial seaweed beds and drag them with them into the current, according to the photographer. Photo: Vebjørn Karlsen
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– Not recommended
Karlsen believes that the situation is now so serious that it is also dangerous for people to dive in Saltstraumen.
– Divers can get stuck in this too, he says, and he says he himself stopped diving in the most affected area.
On land, you’d never allow it to look like it does beneath the surface at Saltstraumen, Karlsen believes.
ON Visit the Bodø website it is said that “The marine life in Saltstraumen is vulnerable and it is not advisable to fish in the creek itself”.
And then:
“If you want to fish in the area, do it out of the current and ask the locals for advice on fishing spots. This is how you can help us take care of the Saltstraumen and make sure it continues to be a haven for wildlife both underwater and above the water for a long time to come. “
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– Destroys nature
– The area is protected because it is a unique marine life, which is also extremely vulnerable, says diver Karlsen, who points out that, despite the area being protected, there is no regulation in the protected area.
– This means that fishing can take place anywhere. If it were said that this would only occur in certain places, you would also know where to look for sinkholes and lines, he believes.
– What is your biggest concern regarding this?
– That we are destroying nature, or that visiting divers will be stuck there, says Karlsen.
– RISK: Karlsen believes that the huge amount of line now poses a danger to divers too, if they get stuck in it. Photo: Vebjørn Karlsen
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Notice of concern
In an article on the sites of Dykking.no Karlsen appears to have sent a message of concern to the Norwegian Diving Association, warning of the danger to divers and the importance of being careful.
Here is also reproduced a letter that he sent Eide to Espen Barth.
Now he hopes the climate and environment minister will step forward with measures to save the Saltstraumen and strengthen the marine protected area in a better way, the article states.
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