Former Norwegian politician convicted for illegal salmon fishing.
Magnus Stangeland, an 83-year-old former Norwegian parliamentarian and prominent business leader, has been sentenced to 18 days of suspended prison time and fined NOK 20,000 ($1,800/€1,700) for illegal salmon fishing, according to broadcaster NRK.
Stangeland, who served as a representative of the Centre Party in Norway’s Stortinget from 1985 to 1997, was found guilty of violating fishing regulations after attempting to hide a frozen wild salmon in his garden.
The court found that Stangeland had deployed an unmarked and improperly positioned floating net off Austevoll, near Bergen, in June 2023. The net, measuring 88 meters in length and seven meters in height, was not submerged as required and lacked proper registration markings. According to the prosecution, Stangeland admitted his guilt, explaining that he intended to adjust the net’s placement the following day.
The frozen wild salmon was discovered by police during a search of his property and is believed to have been caught using the illegal net. Stangeland confessed to hiding the fish in a panic, stating he regretted his actions.
Defense lawyer Maria Hessen Jacobsen expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, noting that harsher penalties sought by the prosecution—including a two-year ban on net fishing and confiscation of two fishing boats valued at NOK 410,000 ($36,900/€34,850)—were not imposed.
“The judgment aligns with our arguments, and we are pleased with the outcome. The penalties sought by the prosecution were excessive,” Hessen Jacobsen said.
Stangeland will retain his fishing rights, an outcome described as a relief by his legal team. “Fishing has been an integral part of his life and lifestyle. As a retiree, this is how he spends his time,” Hessen Jacobsen added.
The case underscores the significant risks posed by illegal fishing to wild salmon populations, particularly in vulnerable rivers. Torbjørn Forseth, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), testified that even small-scale illegal fishing could have a devastating impact on critically endangered wild salmon stocks.
Norwegian authorities have intensified penalties for illegal net fishing in recent years, increasing the maximum sentence for severe violations to five years in prison. However, prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they will appeal the court’s decision in this case.
