Salmon fishing in Norway in 2024
Due to a low salmon return to rivers from the sea, salmon fishing is regulated in some rivers from Trøndelag to the southern Swedish border.
The situation for the salmon stocks is dramatic. It has been in decline for a long time, not only in Norway, but all around the North Atlantic. Salmon is listed as near threatened on the Red list for endangered species. Norway have had the two lowest salmon runs in history during the last years and 2024 will possibly be the third.
Closing of rivers and restrictions
The first regulations were issued on the 23rd of June and fishing was completely closed in 33 rivers from Trøndelag to the border to Sweden in the south. The reason for the closing were lower catch numbers than last year, absence of large salmon in rivers with a usually high ratio of large salmon and a high risk of not meeting the spawning target in the rivers in 2024.
Based on new current statistics for Atlantic salmon from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) the Norwegian Environmental Agency imposed new regulations on the 11th of July, in which 16 of the previously closed rivers were opened with restrictions. The restrictions vary between rivers, but mainly restrict the quota of caught fish per day and/or per season, and maximum length on caught salmon. In addition to opening 16 rivers in the south, the regulations impacted some rivers in eastern Finnmark, more specifically rivers in Varanger.
In addition to closing and restrictions, all fishing for salmon is prohibited along the coastline, except in Drammensfjorden, Sunndalsfjorden (including Tingvollfjorden, Bergsøyfjorden and Batnfjorden), Åfjord and Namsfjorden. If salmon is caught when fishing for other species, the fish must be released immediately with care.