Three Important Events in the Fight for the Wild Salmon

A new salmon season is here and yes, we hope it will be a great one with lots of water and big fresh running fish. The fight for our last wild salmon stocks are more intense now than ever before. Overfishing, pollution, global warming and more than anything the fish farming industry is causing rapidly declining stocks of wild Atlantic salmon. This my first 2020 blog will look back on December and a couple of special events, all part of fighting for our beloved salmon.

First I joined in on an exciting event at Bonniers Konsthall in Stockholm. Presentation of the project Climavore. Cooking sections, Daniel Fernandez Pascual and Alon Scwabe discussed how we should eat with as little negative effect on the ecosystem as possible. The fish farming industry was in focus and together with Gloria L. Gallardo Fernandez Professor in environmental Science. They presented facts why not to eat salmon from open pens. I also gave my side of the situation and to sum it up I believe the audience will think twice before eating salmon from open pens again. An interesting and educational evening.

The week after this, I for the first time was at the Nasdaq stock market in Stockholm. It was a Bell ringing for the Baltic Salmon Fund’s Salmon Bond. Anders Wallgren who I helped a bit with events to gather funds was there. Together with Garantum there was speeches and celebrations for the good amount that the Baltic Salmon Fund has collected. The funds will now be used first of all to buy out coastal nets and traps outside the Swedish Baltic wild salmon rivers. For a fly tier and fishing bum a bit odd, but fun event. In just a few years the Baltic Salmon Fund led by Thomas Johansson has grown into a very important player in the environmental work for the wild salmon in the Baltic sea.

The third thing before Christmas was a happening in the UK. I was invited to be one of the speakers on a salmon event at Cambridge University. I actually never thought I would be speaking there, for sure. The event at Sir David Attenborough building with me talking about the Fish farming issues and threats for our wild stocks and also the dinner at Pembroke College where the Q&A was held, were both memorable moments. Of course, very honorable to speak but also an important event in our never-ending fight for Salmo Salar.