A meeting of the NASCO group (North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation), on 6th June 2003 raised numerous points concerning the protection of salmon.

According to the group, regulation of seals in Scotland is becoming urgent and the same is true in Canada. It is estimated that the seal population now exceeds 10 million individuals.

The subject of the survival of salmon in the sea was also raised and the capture of young salmon by mackerel fishermen in Norway and herring fishermen in Iceland (these post smolt salmon).

These two issues of seals and commercial sea fisherman taking salmon seem to be the main cause of predation of salmon in the sea.

Meanwhile, fishing quotas in Western Greenland have been reduced to zero, while in the Faeroe Islands fishing has been closed for one year and will be limited this year to nine tons.

The Irish government has been asked to limit salmon catches with drift nets. There, a salmon caught with a line brings in 400 euros to the economy which is 20 times more than a fish caught with a net.