"Do no go lightly into the night, Rage, rage at the loss of light"

We are now all being swamped with comments from all and sundry, as it becomes fashionable to have an opinion about the problem this year regarding the lack of salmon to the Mörrumsån. For example, letters to the EU commission of fisheries advocating a complete stop to all commercial fishing in the Baltic coastal and estuary areas. Now hold on there, does this mean that the sport fishermen get to carry on fishing?.........dream on, there is no way the EU is going to favour one special interest group over another. Furthermore, it is naïve to even think that the EU can save a situation from becoming a National disaster, when the Swedish authorities have not addressed the root causes in the first place and have allowed this situation with all the Swedish rivers to drift for a number of years.  Nor can the Swedish board of fisheries wave a magic wand, and everything is OK. They are only a scientific and regularity body, and are not expected to manage a river, or do whatever is necessary to correct a situation like this. Nor does it any good lumping the other river’s problems with the Mörrumsån’s, as this only delays getting on with dealing with the problems associated “with our river”. It is pointless to keep justifying how it was…….back then, and relying on old and antiquated expertise, and pandering to a minority who only want to keep the “status quo” and who are afraid of change.

Then there is all the surprise from the so called experts and the authorities that this has only happened now……… when it has been duly noted that there has been a continuing decline of salmon to the Mörrumsån for example, since 2001, and it’s about time people associated with this problem quickly come to terms with some real and uncomfortable truths.

Most of us know about the problem in the Baltic Sea regarding the drastic decline of salmon and now sea trout, and how it has affected the Baltic rivers. This fact has been recognized by the EU commission of fisheries since 1998…..and highlighted by the news media over the years, and only now people are acting surprised. It has become embarrassing to listen to others “sound off” with political correct statements, and then turn to the EU for help. Which to many of us, is only a deflection from what should have been done on a National level….back then when it was so obvious that things were going to deteriorate to the extent that we are faced with today.

The sport fishermen today are better informed, intelligent and conservation minded than ever before. and in our day and age demand action……..not to continually read commentaries that lack substance and hear words that are meaningless. Furthermore, the most critical question that most want an answer to is; when all things are considered………….what have the authorities and managers been doing all this time. The simplest answer as it seems now, is not very much. Sad when you think about it, as Sweden likes to project itself to the outside World as a country that takes the lead on environmental issues and can in a timely manner take care of any problems they may have concerning the nature and the environment. This situation really should have not been allowed to drift without action for so long.

Many are asking, what does Sveaskog and Karlshalm komune intend to do about the present situation, other than refer everything back to the EU commission of fisheries, as the present “wall of silence” inactivity, drift and complacency will only achieve further confusion amongst the sport fishermen, and financially still further jeopardize the local economy that relies on the revenues from the sport fishing activities. Does the river have to go into terminal decline before whoever are responsible do something……..anything to show all of us that they are prepared to act. If they are short of examples, they only have to look at how the Danes do it, and you cannot get closer to home than that.

I have for some time now, felt that the fishing office has not had the support from Sveaskog and the local Kommune., in essence, financial and human resources to do whatever is necessary for the health and welfare of the river. Here are people, who over the years have gained the experience to manage effectively without “mind numbing” control from others who most probably can’t see the “wood from the trees” However, with responsibility comes accountability, and when a person who works for the fishing office comes out in the local newspaper with comments like; the commercial fishermen are their brothers, it is not necessary to have catch & release, and its OK to plant salmon smolts. Only creates confusion in everybody who is concerned for the future of the Mörrumsån, and sets the wrong platform for the future management of the river. As statements like these only confuse people and force many to ask the question; who is actually “in charge”

Lastly, most are getting tired of all the rhetoric that hides away from the one start point that the authorities and the EU and sport fishermen are waiting for. That is the removal of the commercial fishing nets in the estuary…….as simple as that. If it cannot be achieved by those who are able to do so, get someone or an organization that can………sooner rather than later. Furthermore, I believe we can all co-exist……even with the commercial fishermen. As long as they are ready to work within a limited quota system and be under the strict control of the Swedish board of fisheries. If the commercial fishermen continue to ignore all approaches, then they must go completely without further thought as to their future welfare. As their activities will always present an ever and present danger to the native salmon and sea trout stocks to the river  There is one most important fact that most will have to come to terms with here in Sweden. No Swedish politician is strong enough to take the sides of one special interest group against an another special interest group, mainly because a situation like we have here is so low on their agendas, it will take too long to correct the situation we have with the river today, and the only solution is for the managers of the river(s) and Karlshamn Kommune “take charge” and do something that will prove to us all, that they are capable mangers.  I often hear many Swedes say; that the only time that anything like this gets corrected is when it is almost too late………..Lets hope that they are wrong and will not be the case with “our river”.

Lastly, I never thought I would see the day, that because of the present situation. There will be no alternative for the authorities other than to get rid of the estuary nets and have mandatory catch and release of all salmon until the stocks are strong enough to be classed as an ever recurring and a sustainable resource, and that unfortunately is now years away.