Major reduction in losses in 2012

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By Paul Mugaas Jensen palmj@kyst.no

Statistics from the Fisheries Directorate show that the average shrinkage of salmon, measured as “Annual percentage loss based on the average stock” values decreased from around 15 percent in recent years to 10.2 percent last year.

- This is very gratifying, says head of section in the tilsyns- department of the FSA, Friede Andersen. She believes the overall focus on losses in production and poor smolt quality in recent years may be an explanation. Focus on avoiding poor smolt quality is also seen in the statistics. According to the numbers the Fisheries Directorate has for the last four years, the number of fish discarded in the juvenile phase increased from about 42 million in 2009, to 60 million in 2010, 77 million in 2011 and up to 128 million in 2012.

Mid - Norway best Looking at the distribution by county of losses in foodfish production, some very interesting points become clear. The counties of Møre og Romsdal and Nordland had a significant reduction of losses of between 36 to 46 percent. Also Rogaland showed a decline - they were also the smartest in the class - with a reduction in the loss of salmon in the foodfish stage at 50 percent.

However, Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane showed a slight increase in losses, 9 and 8 percent up, respectively.

Also, the two northernmost counties had an abnormal tendency. Finnmark showed a slight decline by only three percent, while Troms County had an increase of six percent in their losses.