River catch

Updated: 26 January 2024

Next update: 24 January 2025

Slaughtered atlantic salmon
Slaughtered atlantic salmon
2023
51 767
 
River catch of salmon, sea trout, migratory char, rainbow trout and pink salmon
River catch of salmon, sea trout, migratory char, rainbow trout and pink salmon
Number
20202021202220231
Slaughtered fish
Atlantic salmon94 59256 86570 44951 767
Sea trout34 18222 48725 06121 394
Migratory char5 0884 2123 6322 780
Rainbow trout81170177143
Pink salmon2 47111 8038116 120
Caught and released fish
Atlantic salmon28 75221 35727 22918 826
Sea trout11 52311 12410 56511 304
Migratory char1 5451 0451 3441 011
12022: Preliminary figures
2As from 2023, catches from targeted measures against pink salmon are reported to the Norwegian Environment Agency, and are not included in official statistics.
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and charts from this statistics

  • River catch of slaughtered salmon, sea trout and migratory char. Preliminary figures
    River catch of slaughtered salmon, sea trout and migratory char. Preliminary figures
    Number
    Catch, totalAtlantic salmon, by weight of fishSea troutMigratory char
    TotalLess than 3 kg3 - 7 kg7 kg and over
    2023
    The whole country1 75 94151 76727 70818 3355 72421 3942 780
    Oslo og Viken2 8071 5215066383771 2860
    Vestfold og Telemark4 0433 9601 1142 245601830
    Agder6 6506 2153 4192 5152814350
    Rogaland8 3638 2654 1073 569589980
    Vestland4 9493 2431 7091 1923421 7042
    Møre og Romsdal5 7904 7842 6061 7823961 0060
    Trøndelag - Trööndelage10 9889 2994 6262 9251 7481 6836
    Nordland7 6452 4692 007408544 474702
    Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku24 70612 0117 6143 0611 33610 6252 070
    1The Tana Watercourse was not opened for salmon fishing.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Catch of salmon from selected rivers. Preliminary figures
    Catch of salmon from selected rivers. Preliminary figures
    KiloNumber
    Salmon, totalSlaughtered salmonCaught and released salmonSalmon, totalSlaughtered salmonCaught and released salmon
    2023
    Drammenselva5 5505 54378708691
    Numedalslågen16 88416 7681163 5183 49028
    Otra3 5713 504671 1651 13035
    Mandalselva9 0078 8491582 6912 63457
    Bjerkreimselva5 9575 4754822 3662 171195
    Ogna2 0682 0036570767730
    Håelva2 3022 02327980772186
    Figgjo2 2342 02820673565877
    Etneelva8287963223721225
    Lærdalselva769107591152113
    Bondalselva1 2221 22203513510
    Drivavassdraget3 4213 389325815747
    Surna incl. Rinna2 1791 521658518360158
    Stordalselva in Åfjord90890533493472
    Orkla18 5885 44813 1403 5501 1332 417
    Gaulavassdraget21 5678 70112 8663 8291 4792 350
    Namsenvassdraget11 85310 5661 2873 1692 602567
    Stjørdalsvassdraget6 5894 3552 2341 590971619
    Årgårdsvassdraget1 0681 0491955754116
    Vefsnavassdraget5 1841 2423 9421 382384998
    Beiarvassdraget2 9585772 381729250479
    Målselvvassdraget8 3727 8065662 2372 093144
    Reisavassdraget (Nordreiselva)135013550050
    Vestre Jakobselv1 7025541 148518220298
    Altavassdraget14 6589 3535 3052 2551 658597
    Repparfjordelva incl. Skaidijohka7 4704 5592 9112 9241 7321 192
    Stabburselva Vesterbotn2 0751 228847489313176
    Lakselva in Porsanger5 2811 9323 349852328524
    Tana incl. tributaries (Norwegian part)1 1146153241212
    Neidenelva (Norwegian part)3 9882 4051 5831 103683420
    1Tana was not opened for salmon fishing.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Catch and release of salmon, sea trout and migratory char. Preliminary figures
    Catch and release of salmon, sea trout and migratory char. Preliminary figures
    Number
    Catch, totalAtlantic salmon, by weight of fishSea trout and migratory char
    TotalLess than 3 kg3 - 7 kg7 kg and over
    2023
    The whole country1 31 14118 8268 9075 9723 94712 315
    Oslo og Viken5123211549572191
    Vestfold og Telemark49341615315
    Agder5874053375711182
    Rogaland1 738942488315139796
    Vestland3 4011 5125355754021 889
    Møre og Romsdal2 1828924262662001 290
    Trøndelag - Trööndelage8 6086 4722 3662 3781 7282 136
    Nordland5 6702 7901 5438204272 880
    Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku1 8 3945 4583 0421 4519652 936
    1The Tana Watercourse was not opened for salmon fishing.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Catch of pink salmon and rainbow trout the latest 4 years
    Catch of pink salmon and rainbow trout the latest 4 years
    Pink salmon1 Rainbow trout
    KiloNumberKiloNumber
    2020714713281
    2021190 968111 803204170
    202212281187177
    202332 40516 120164143
    1As from 2023, catches from targeted measures against pink salmon are reported to the Norwegian Environment Agency, and are not included in official statistics.
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The statistics provides an overview of river catch of salmon, sea trout and migratory char, whether the fish are slaughtered or caught and released.

The information under «About the statistics» was last updated 18 October 2023.

Anadromous

Term referring to animals that regularly migrate from the ocean up the rivers to spawn.

Weight

The weight is stated in kilos live weight.

Before 1993 salmon were broken down into two groups: salmon under 3 kilos and salmon 3 kilos or more. Since 1993 salmon are divided into the following groups: under 3 kilos, between 3 and 6.9 kilos and 7 kilos and over.

Name: River catch
Topic: Agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing

24 January 2025

Division for Housing, Property, Spatial and Agricultural Statistics

Figures for each river and county.

Annual. Preliminary figures are published in January the year after the fishing has taken place. Final figures are published in Statbank about two months later.

The Norwegian Environment Agency forwards data to NASCO (North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization).

Collected and revised data are stored securely by Statistics Norway in compliance with applicable legislation on data processing.

Statistics Norway can grant access to the source data (de-identified or anonymised microdata) on which the statistics are based, for researchers and public authorities for the purposes of preparing statistical results and analyses. Access can be granted upon application and subject to conditions. Refer to the details about this at Access to data from Statistics Norway.

The statistics provide information on catches of anadromous salmonids in Norwegian rivers. The statistics cover a time series from 1876 and are vital elements in national and international monitoring and management work related to anadromous salmonoids.

From 1963-1992 the information came from the salmon fishery boards. As from 1993 the statistics are based upon reports collected by The County Governor. From 2004, the landowners reports the catch electronically via https://fangstrapp.no

As from 2009 catch and release are included.

As from 2019 catch of migratory char, rainbow trout and pink salmon are included.

Catch statistics are an important source of information for nature management, the media and various organizations and groups. Scientists use the statistics to evaluate changes in stocks and to estimate the socio-economic importance of salmon fishing.

Norway is also obligated to report annual catch statistics to NASCO (North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization).

No external users have access to statistics before they are released at 8 a.m. on ssb.no after at least three months’ advance notice in the release calendar. This is one of the most important principles in Statistics Norway for ensuring the equal treatment of users.

Figures on sea catches of salmon and sea trout are presented on the Internet.

The statistics are developed, produced and disseminated pursuant to Act no. 32 of 21 June 2019 relating to official statistics and Statistics Norway (the Statistics Act).

Not relevant

The population is defined by " Lakseregisteret - Rapportering av elvefangst " at https://fangstrapp.no. Catch reports from the fishermen are added up to a total catch in rivers/watercourses. The statistics include catches of salmon, sea trout, migratory char, rainbow trout and pink salmon caught in Norwegian rivers. Escaped farmed fish are included in the statistics. From 2009, the statistics also include fish caught and released.

Catch reports from the fishermen has been summarized and compiled into information for each river in the national base on https://fangstrapp.no

Catch reports from the individual fisherman are collected by landowners, who send a summary catch report to the County Governor or enter data in the national base "Lakseregisteret - Rapportering av elvefangst " at https://fangstrapp.no. The County Governor are responsible for reporting complete figures for each river in this base, and from this base Statistics Norway downloads a complete file.

Editing is defined here as checking, examining and amending data. Data is transferred to an editing system and computerized controls are applied. If necessary, the county governors are contacted to assess the data.

Not relevant

Employees of Statistics Norway have a duty of confidentiality.

Statistics Norway does not publish figures if there is a risk of the respondent’s contribution being identified. This means that, as a general rule, figures are not published if fewer than three units form the basis of a cell in a table or if the contribution of one or two respondents constitutes a very large part of the cell total.

Statistics Norway can make exceptions to the general rule if deemed necessary to meet the requirements of the EEA agreement, if the respondent is a public authority, if the respondent has consented to this, or when the information disclosed is openly accessible to the public.

More information can be found on Statistics Norway’s website under Methods in official statistics, in the ‘Confidentiality’ section.

The collection of data was reorganized in 1993. Previously, fishery boards collected data and sent reports from each salmon district and river to Statistics Norway. An own salmon tax resulted in that the reported figures could be unreliable. In 1993, the county governors started submitting reports, and after that there is reason to belive that the data quality has become better and better.

The number of rivers with reported catch has increased over time. From the begginning in the 1870s only 54 rivers were included. In the 1960s the number of rivers with reported catch had incresed to 170. In the last few years more than 400 rivers were included in the statistics.

In 1989, 15 per cent of the rivers were closed by different reasons. In 2011, 25 per cent of the rivers were closed. In additon, the last few years quotas from one to three fishes per person in a 24-hour period is introduced.

Over time there has been regulations that has influenced on the statistics. As from 1980, fishing gear as salmon trap and fish net was forbidden in most rivers except Numedalslågen and the county of Finnmark. The average fishing period for salmon fishing by fishing rods or handline is reduced from 200 days in 1850 to 75 days in 2010.

The statistics give a picture of the catch reported in the rivers. Investigations have shown that the real catch is somewhat higher. The Norwegian Environment Agency estimates an addition for unreported catches when they report to NASCO.

Not relevant

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