A Place Called Tana

Raised in Gulgofjord, Tanafjord, Bjarne Johansen began salmon fishing at the age of eight and had his own site by fourteen. His ancestors had fished for salmon since the seventeenth century. He leads the Tana and Environs Sea Salmon Fishing Association, which has 171 members and fights for the rights of coastal Sami and fjord communities who have lost salmon fishing rights. Strict regulations have shifted fishing from the sea to rivers, favoring sports fishers and trophy hunting. He believes river fishing should cease by early August and opposes further development of the salmon farming industry due to environmental damage seen in Norway and globally, calling for policy changes to prevent repeating past mistakes.