The need for voluntary contributions to the Guden salmon
The salmon project in the Guden stream was started in 1987 by Randers municipality on the initiative of local recreational fisherman and politicians. The aim of Randers Municipality for the project is the re-establishment of a self reproducing salmon population in the Guden stream, as well as the establishment of a sustainable recreational fishing tourism industry.
In 1990, the first salmon release in the Guden stream was started. The salmon project was based primarily on smolt releases.
At Brusgaard Production school, a recirculated breeding plant was built as a part of the Production High School. At that time, the salmon project was amongst a range of activation projects for youths in Randers municipality, so the running of the project and the smolt releases were financed by the municipality.
The fishing licence was introduced in 1993, and with the licence money, stock releases were undertaken throughout the Guden system until studies in 1996 showed that it was impossible for the smolt to pass the Tange lake. There were also problems with larger salmon passing upstream through the Tange works. The plan to establish a self-reproducing salmon population in the Guden stream was then placed on ice until a workable solution to the problems of passage around Lake Tange could be found. Fiskeplejen has given a grant to smolt releases to the value of 200,000 DKK per year since 1996.
In 1997 the Production School moved to Randers and the breeding facility was taken over by the newly created fund, FOS - Laks i dag Danmarks Center for Vildlaks, DCV. Randers municipality continued to support the smolt releases with 750,000 DKK per year, but this time as a nature and tourism project.
The excellent angling in the Guden stream has, for several years, been based on annual releases of smolt to a value of 1.250,000 DKK. In 2005, Randers had to reduce their contribution to releases to 300,000 DKK annually. This has meant an underfunding of the smolt releases, which has put a strain on the Danish Centre for Salmon.
It is particularly sports fishing associations which have enjoyed fishing for salmon in the Guden stream, and they have made a contribution, according to their means, which has totalled about 100.000 DKK over the past 3 years. There has thus been an unsustainable underfunding of smolt releases in the Guden stream over the past three years, which the Danish Centre of Wild Salmon can no longer cope with.
In 2008 Randers Municipality contacted the other municipalities along the Guden stream to establish more inclusive funding for the salmon releases under the heading "Nature and Tourism Projects."
Favrskov Municipality is apparently looking favourably at the possibility of funding the salmon releases in 2009. Viborg municipality declined to support the salmon releases economically, possibly due to their interests in the electricity production of the Tange works.
The sport fishing association downstream of the Tange works has discussed the untenable economic situation of the salmon releases at their AGMs. The members have a burning desire to retain an exciting sports fishing in the Guden stream, and the salmon is the most attractive type of fish. The associaion collects donations partly through membership fees and supplements to the daily ticket prices. Landowners also provide a portion through the landowner payment for the fishing rights.
| Expected funding contributions in 2011 | |
| Langå Sports Fishing Association | approx. 60,000 DKK |
| Bjerringbro and Region Sports Fishers Association | approx. 75,000 DKK |
| Bjerringbro and Region Sports Fishers Association landowners | approx. 25,000 DKK |
| Randers Sports Fishing Association | approx. 5,000 DKK |
| Hadsten Anglers | approx. 6,000 DKK |
| Privates | approx. 10,000 DKK |
| Bamsebo Camping | approx. 10,000 DKK |
| Others | approx. 10,000 DKK |
| Viborg Fishing Association | Waiting |
| Guden river Association | Waiting |
| Gudenåens Trout Fund Guden river Competition | Waiting |
| In addition, funding for smolt releases come directly from: | |
| Randers Municipality | approx. 100,000 DKK |
| Favrskov Municipality | approx. 100,000 DKK |
| Silkeborg Municipality | approx. 0 DKK |
| Fishing License Funds | approx. 250,000 DKK |
The collection of Gudenaalaksen.dkis important:
The unsustainable underfunding of smolt releases threatens Guden stream salmon, recreational fisheries and recreational fishing tourism in the Guden stream. A salmon population in the Guden stream remains totally dependent on the annual releases due to the inviability of natural reproduction. Thus, many people and companies, have direct or indirect benefit and revenue from salmon in the Guden stream.
It is therefore important that the Guden stream has a healthy and large salmon population now and in the future.
The need for voluntary contributions.
It is important that there are funds for the continued salmon releases, especially in the period prior to the establishment, of a satisfactory fauna passage in the Guden river, which must be adopted no later than 2011/2014. After this period, fund for the maintenance of stocks in the Guden stream will come primarily from fishing licences.
The support funds from the Sports fishing association is not sufficient to maintain the stocks in the coming years at the same level as it is at now. More money is needed for a period of time, so there is a need for contributions. There are many outside of the local fishing community who wish to maintain salmon in the Guden stream. That is why the sports fishing associations in the area have establised this opportunity to provide a financial contribution.
A contribution to support www.gudenaalaksen.dk is a contribution towards supporting salmon in the Guden stream.