I was fortunate to spend my final week in Norway with good friends in Stamnes. In addition to spending time with great people in a beautiful place, my hope was to participate in some sitjenot fishing (a traditional set-net gear utilizing a fishing tower and a pulley system that closes the net after fish swim in). Because I left Norway in late June I knew I wouldn’t see the peak of the fishing season, but my timing was great in that I got to help set out the sitjenot! It was a great opportunity to document the process in photographs.
Johannes Gullbrå was instructor, and Eirik Normann was his flink (quick-learning) pupil. Eirik is a local young man who, through his interest, ensures that knowledge of the sitjenot will not go extinct when the older generation is gone. He uses the traditional sitjenot for research fishing, capturing salmon heading up stream and determining whether they are wild salmon or escaped farmed salmon. If they are wild it is possible to find out whether they were produced at the Voss Hatchery if they have a metal snout-mark or if their adipose fin is clipped. As of August 11th, Eirik had caught 22 wild salmon, including 7 with clipped adipose fins from the hatchery, and 40 farmed salmon. At the end of this data will be added to previous 6 years of experimental data that is teaching us more about survival threats for the Vosso salmon. This experiment can help us remove or minimize obstacles to restoration of the Vosso salmon.
Rune Gullbrå and Knut Helge Kulshammar came to visit us out at the gilje (the fishing tower from which fishermen watch the net). It has been many years since these guys ‘sat’ since the fishery was closed in 1992. It is clear that there is a lot of nostalgia around the fishery, and it was hilarious and a great privilege to hang out with them in the gilje while they recounted fishing tales – the glory moments when it was horrible weather and impossible to see, but for some reason they knew something was happening and there were 15 salmon in the net. Stories of the old timers, the names carved into the wooden walls marking who sat together each year – Rune and Knut Helge had definitely sat together a few times. By the end of a few seasons these people knew each other almost like brothers.
I was staying with one of the Stamnes fishermen named Hallstein Leiren. He suggested that we invite everyone to a barbecue in honor the Vosso salmon and my departure from Norway. Our plan was to have the party out on a little island owned by Ola Kvamme, but the weather turned very sour. We aborted the island plan and strung up a large tarp over Hallstein’s backyard. 20 people came with food and smiles, including people from Voss and Bolstad up the river. People enjoyed exchanging fishing stories. I was touched when the folks from Voss Hatchery presented me with a gift – a painting of a waterfall near Voss – and thanked me for my efforts on behalf of the Vosso salmon and their communities.
I was also able to thank all of these people for welcoming me into their community so warmly – for one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
