The number of escaped farmed fish serves as an indicator of the industry’s effort to handle this problem. Should one measure the environmental consequences of escapes, it is more appropriate to look at the volumes escaped fish to be found in important areas for wild salmon both in the river and at sea. The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) analyse catches salmon on different locations in Norway. By using fish scales samples they can determine the number of farmed individuals in the catch. The following table shows the number of escaped farmed salmon in rivers, fjords and coastal areas.
Year |
Stamfiske elv |
Sportsfiske elv |
Fjord |
Kyst |
% | % | % | % | |
1989 | 35 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
1990 | 34 | 7 | 15 | 48 |
1991 | 24 | 5 | 10 | 49 |
1992 | 26 | 5 | 21 | 44 |
1993 | 22 | 5 | 20 | 47 |
1994 | 22 | 4 | 19 | 36 |
1995 | 29 | 5 | 17 | 39 |
1996 | 31 | 7 | 16 | 47 |
1997 | 29 | 9 | 32 | 47 |
1998 | 22 | 9 | 32 | 43 |
1999 | 15 | 6 | 30 | 36 |
2000 | 11 | 7 | 17 | 31 |
2001 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 30 |
2002 | 18 | 16 | 27 | 34 |
2003 | 13 | – | 13 | 22 |
2004 | 14 | 7 | 18 | 28 |
2005 | 13 | 6 | 16 | 31 |
2006 | – | 7 | 16 | 39 |
2007 | 13 | 9 | 26 | 34 |