Norway may halt salmon fishing season

OSLO, Norway, April 18 (UPI) -- Norwegian wildlife management officials said stocks of wild salmon have dropped so low they may have to halt the salmon fishing season.

The newspaper Aftenposten said strict quotas and restrictions from Norway's Directorate for Nature Management may not be enough to solve the problem. The decline in wild salmon stocks is blamed on climate changes that alter the composition of the food chain, acid rain and farmed fish escaping into natural waters.

The newspaper said the record low number of small salmon last year could mean a bad year in 2008 for medium-sized salmon, which affects spawning.

Aftenposten said wild salmon fishing attracts wealthy visitors who pay large sums to lease fishing rights.