The blacklisted Pacific salmon invaded Norwegian salmon rivers in 2017 and 2019. The fish, which was released in Russia, has a two-year life cycle, and is now back in Norwegian waters, reports Institute of Marine Research.
– We have never before received so many humpback salmon in the trawl, says researcher Kjell Rong Utne at the Institute of Marine Research about the catches from the annual May cruise in the Norwegian Sea. There, the researchers actually map the herring.
In 2017 and 2019, 53 and 24 humpback salmon were caught on the research cruise, respectively. This year, the total is 91, 28 of them in the trawl hall. The fish are caught further south than in previous years. The researchers have also received several reports of humpback salmon from fishing boats off the Møre coast.
– It is definitely humpback salmon, but it is difficult to predict the quantities and where they will hit land, says Eva Thorstad at the Norwegian Institute for Natural Research.
In many salmon rivers, the sport fishing season opens on 1 June. The researchers therefore ask anglers to keep an eye on the unwanted fish, which can displace our own salmon.
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