The Directorate of Fisheries fears that someone has dumped tons of dead mackerel at sea off Øygarden.
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Following investigations using a water drone, the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries has documented finds of between 5 and 10 tonnes of mackerel on the seabed.
The find was made at a depth of approximately 25 meters in an area south of Møvik, west of Sotra in Øygarden municipality.
– We have received tips that mackerel has been observed that has been thrown into the sea. It is difficult to determine how long the fish have been in the area. We are investigating the case with position data, says section chief at the control section in the Directorate of Fisheries, Thord Monsen.
– Must be reported
There are several who use the area for locking mackerel, where the fish is locked in a kind of fish cage, and retrieved at a later time.
For possible underlying reasons, Monsen mentions accidents during the catching operation, where the fish have been stressed and killed during the fishing.
Another reason may be that the fish has not been of the desired quality or size, and therefore been released at a late time when the fish is dying.
– There are many possible reasons. We do not want to speculate on what has happened. Regardless of whether this is due to an accident or active killing of fish, this should not be done and the incident should be reported, Monsen says.
– Waste of marine resources
It is not permitted to release a catch when there is a danger of being killed, which means that the fish is so stressed and exposed to a lack of oxygen at the time it is released, that it will die. This and breach of the duty to land is illegal.
– It is a waste of marine resources and is characterized as environmental crime. The Directorate of Fisheries takes such behavior very seriously, says the section chief.
According to him, it can lead to pollution when large quantities of dead fish are left on the bottom in shallow sea areas.
Leads to errors in the quota accounts
Monsen believes people do not report such incidents, as they fear the consequences.
The Norwegian Environment Agency wants all fish to be included in quotas and entered in resource accounts. Failure to report will result in errors in the allowance accounts.
–– It gives us less control over how much fish is available in the sea, and makes sustainable management difficult, says Monsen.
Risks reviews and violation fee
According to him, what offenders risk in such cases is difficult to say.
– Normally we react with reviews and violation fees if we identify perpetrators. In this case, it can be challenging. For our part, it is important to go out and point out that this is a behavior we believe should not go unnoticed.
When asked how many such cases the Directorate of Fisheries handles, Monsen answers:
– We do not have a specific number, but we discover such cases on a regular basis.
The fishing team strongly distances itself
The Norwegian Fishermen’s Association is a trade union and employers’ association for Norwegian commercial fishermen. Leader Kåre Heggebø, says they strongly dissociate themselves from such practice.
– Our experience is that in most cases there is a logical explanation behind it. We hope this is an accident, rather than a deliberate act. In any case, it should have been notified.
Heggebø says that 5 to 10 tonnes is a lot in a local area.
– But in the big resource picture, such an amount of mackerel is not so much. Nevertheless, it is about principles, and that resources should be used for the benefit of the community.
–– Strict environmental crime
Marine biologist and fisheries and garden expert Fredrik Myhre in the environmental organization WWF World Wide Fund for Nature, points to the same possible explanations as the Directorate of Fisheries.
– It is not allowed to dump mackerel. This is severe environmental crime, waste of resources, and theft of community resources.
He says it is difficult to uncover such cases, unless you happen to come across them in the sea.
– Far from all dumping cases are revealed, so there are still some dark numbers. Nevertheless, my impression is that most Norwegian fishermen are concerned with following laws and regulations, and are passionate about taking good care of nature in the sea. This makes it extra important to get rid of the rotten eggs in the industry that are destroying the majority.
–– Serious for the mackerel
Consequences of avoiding reporting dumping are that the catch statistics for each species are incorrect.
– This means that the potential for overfishing is greater, since the fish is not entered on the catch list and checked out with the total quota for the amount that is allowed to fish. This means that in the long run we overfish stocks. For mackerel, this is serious, since the total catch quotas are already set higher than researchers recommend.
He believes it is too low follow-up and clearance rate for dumping.
– It is difficult to track down, but one must ensure that the penalties for environmental crime are increased, which will have a deterrent effect on the industry. In addition, the industry should to a greater extent address this from the inside to ensure that dumping of catch does not occur.
Worried about overfishing
Monsen in the Directorate of Fisheries refers to Norway’s public report from 2019, on future fisheries control.
– The committee points to the need for a review of the level of reaction; that it should be a deterrent when uncovering such incidents, he says.
Heggebø in the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association says that the organization currently does not work actively against dumping of catch in Norway.
– Here, the attitude over several decades has been that it is not acceptable. The fishing team has been a driving force in Norway’s work to stop dumping of fish in the EU and the rest of the world.
– Destroys the balance in the sea
Myhre says that the mackerel stock is currently good, but that he is very concerned about the overfishing that is taking place on the species as a whole, between all the countries that together manage it.
– Overfishing has led to fish species such as mackerel, herring and blue whiting having lost their environmental certification. This is mainly due to the coastal states not agreeing on sustainable catch quotas. Thus, dumping cases like this are extra serious.
The fisheries expert believes it is important that Norway is a driving force to reach an agreement between the countries.
– Mackerel is an important food fish for many species. Overfishing destroys the natural balance in the sea, says Myhre.
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