Relationships between the frequency of farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in wild salmon populations and fish farming activity in Norway, 1989–2004

Abstract

Abstract In Norway, there have been restrictions on salmon farming in several fjords to reduce the potential negative impact on important stocks of wild Atlantic salmon. Little is known about the incidence of escaped farmed salmon in fisheries and broodstocks relative to the extent of fish farming in nearby areas. In this study, we analysed data on the incidence of escaped farmed Atlantic salmon in angling catches and broodstock fisheries in rivers for a 16-year period (1989–2004). These data were weighted using official catch statistics and combined at the county level, and the incidence of escapees was correlated with both the stock of farmed salmon in net pens and the reported number of escapees in different Norwegian counties. Our results indicate a significant positive correlation between the incidence of escaped farmed salmon in the rivers at the county level and the intensity of salmon farming, measured as the number of farmed salmon in net pens, suggesting that protection areas may reduce the impact of escapees in salmon populations nearby.