Norway pushes stricter salmon farm rules and eases wolf‑hunting permits

The Norwegian Labour Party (Ap) is being urged to set firm environmental requirements for open‑net salmon farms, arguing that sea lice and escaped farmed salmon are the biggest threats to wild salmon. The call, made by commentator Tommy Reinås, demands a phased transition to closed or emission‑free pens, tighter controls on fish escapes and a halt to further expansion in areas where wild salmon are already under pressure.

At the same time, Centre Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum announced a proposal to allow immediate shooting of wolves in grazing‑priority zones outside designated wolf areas. The draft, motivated by a recent denial of a culling permit in Gausdal, would let the state cover culling costs and aims for parliamentary approval by the end of the year. Vedum argues the current waiting period harms animal welfare, stating, “It is a terrible logic to wait to grant a culling permit until after the animals have been injured.”

Both initiatives reflect a broader debate in Norway over how to balance wildlife conservation with industry and land‑use interests.