No cod fishing in eastern Norway

Recreational fishing of cod banned until stock replenishes

Photo: Yngve Ask / Visit Norway
Scenes like this in eastern Norway will have to wait until cod stocks recover.

Gerard Taylor
Norway Today

The cod stock in the Oslofjord is threatened. To rebuild the stock, it is now forbidden to fish cod from the coast of Telemark to the Swedish border for the rest of this year.

Research shows that the cod stock has disappeared from the coastal and fjord areas farthest south and east of the country, especially in the Oslofjord and along the Skagerrak coast.

“I am concerned about the low stock we have of coastal cod. Therefore, it is important that together, we now help to rebuild the stock. It is important that recreational fishermen release the cod as gently as possible, so that it can grow up and reproduce so that we can rebuild the stock,” said Fisheries Minister Harald T. Nesvik.

The law that came into force in mid-June applies throughout the year and extends from Ellingsvik, just south of Kragerø in Telemark, all the way to the Swedish border.

The fisheries directorate has pointed to frequent recreational fishing as one of the reasons why the stock of coastal cod has declined sharply in recent years. They also highlighted changes in climate and environmental impact from land.

At the same time, the ministry increased the quota on other fish in the area in an attempt to protect the cod.

“Along the way, we have, among other things, met with the Norwegian Hunting and Fishing Association, where I received good input. The regulations that we are introducing now take care of the recreational fishermen in a good way. I also want to reduce the pressure on coastal cod from natural predators, and have therefore increased the quota on these by 20%,” said Nesvik.

Nesvik believes the ban is necessary to give the coastal cod a chance to recover and build up their numbers.

Cod fishing is prohibited from Jan. 1 through April 30 in 14 defined areas where cod spawn, from Lindesnes to the Swedish border. The Ministry of Fisheries has announced that it will assess the effect of the measures after three years.

This article was originally published on Norway Today.

This article originally appeared in the June 28, 2019, issue of The Norwegian American.