Norway's Orkla and Gaula Rivers Face Potential Fishing Ban Over Severe Fish Disease

Salmon and sea trout numbers in Norway's Orkla and Gaula rivers have plummeted as a fungal disease, identified as saprolegniosis and UDN, spreads among both mature and juvenile fish. An October count on a section of the Orkla river recorded 97 live salmon, with 83 displaying clear signs of fungal infection, a stark contrast to the average of 1,170 salmon recorded between 2015 and 2025 on the same stretch. Meanwhile, a 13-kilometre segment of the Gaula river reported a drop in live salmon from 758 in the previous year to 130 this year.

Helge Dyrendal, the Miljødirektoratet's director, indicated that fishing is unlikely to be permitted from 2027 and possibly for several years beyond, unless conditions dramatically improve. Local fishing veteran Ole Kirkemo, who has fished the rivers for 46 years, described the situation as a profound loss for the community. Rune Krogdahl, head of Orkla joint management, warned that the decline threatens local livelihoods, investment, and the cultural fabric of the Trøndelag valleys, calling for substantial resources to study and combat the disease.