Sea catches of salmon and sea trout

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

Weigh t: The weight is stated in kilos live weight.

Sea fishing in ordinary season : The period between 1 June and 4 August.

Specific fishing for escaped farmed fish : The period between 5 August and 28 February.

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: Sea catches of salmon and sea trout
Topic: Agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing

Division for Housing, Property, Spatial and Agricultural Statistics

Figures for each municipality, county and national figures.

Annual. Figures are published in November the same year as the fishing has taken place.

The Norwegian Environment Agency forwards data to NASCO (North atlantic salmon conservation organization).

Statistics Norway stores the data files. Register data and catch data are in Oracle tables. Final data files are stored on UNIX.

The statistics represent a time series from 1876 and are a vital element in national and international monitoring and management work with anadromous salmonoids.

Catch statistics are an important source of information for nature management, the media, special interest organizations and other actors. Scientists use the statistics to evaluate changes in stocks and to compute the socio-economic importance of salmon fishing.

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

No external users have access to the statistics and analyses before they are published and accessible simultaneously for all users on ssb.no at 8 am. Prior to this, a minimum of three months' advance notice is given in the Statistics Release Calendar. This is one of Statistics Norway’s key principles for ensuring that all users are treated equally.

Figures on river fishing for salmon, sea trout and migratory char are presented on the Internet.

The Statistics Act §§2-1 and 3-2

Not relevant

The statistic refer to all catch by wegde-shaped seine and bend net of salmon, sea Trout, migratory char, rainbow Trout and pink salmon taken place within the limit of the 12 nautic miles fishing zone.

Includes catches for research purposes in ordinary season.

Sea fishing in ordinary season : Mainly wild fish, includes also some escaped farmed fish.

Specific fishing for escaped farmed fish: Mainly farmed fish, includes also some wild fish.

Catch journals from the fishermen themselves.

The statistics of sea fishing is based on catch journals from the fishermen themselves and sent to Statistics Norway by the end of the fishing season. Sjøfangstregisteret enables Statistics Norway to send reminders to fishermen, asking for missing catch journals.

Statistics Norway transmits the data from catch journals to electronic format. Machine controls are in place to identify incorrect data entry. Logical errors and incorrect data are corrected on this basis.

Not relevant

Figures for municipalities with less than three fishermen are not available.

As from 1989 drift net fishing is forbidden.

The statistics for sea fishing of salmon and sea trout was earlier based upon catch journals collected by the salmon fishery boards. As from 1993 the statistics are based upon catch journals mailed directly to Statistics Norway by the fishermen themselves.

As from 1997 Statistics Norway has collected data on specific fishing for escaped farmed fish along the coast from Rogaland to Troms.

As from 2019 catches on migratory char, rainbow trout and pink salmon have been collected.

The quality of the catch journals vary. To some extent rough estimates are used to replace erroneous or missing data.

Not relevant