Norwegian fishing and nature organizations call for regulatory reviews

Norges Fiskarlag is calling for a thorough evaluation of new technical requirements for seine net fishing introduced for 2025. The organization expressed concerns to the Directorate of Fisheries that increasing regulations regarding mesh size, net design, and seasonal bans in Finnmark are raising costs for fishermen without sufficient evidence of their effectiveness in reducing undersized catches.

In the field of animal welfare, Nofima senior researcher Bjørn Roth is urging the fishing industry to take an active role in shaping welfare standards. During the Catch Welfare conference, Roth emphasized the need for technologies that ensure humane handling and slaughter to maintain catch quality and economic profitability, noting that current regulations lack specific guidance for commercial fisheries.

Separately, Naturvernforbundet has issued a statement demanding a new management strategy for predators in Norway. The organization argues that current policies fail to ensure viable wild populations and calls for revised population targets, protected migration corridors, and improved compensation schemes for affected industries, including reindeer husbandry.