Salmon fishing in the Drammenselva River - the first reliable sources

The first reliable sources that mention salmon fishing in the Drammenselva River date from the time of Harald Gill (1130-1136) where it is stated that the salmon fishing near Djupvik (Døvik) came under the crown, i.e. into the hands of the state. From this we can conclude that salmon fishing represented a significant source of income already at that time, so significant that the crown secured ownership of the fishing.

After this, salmon fishing is mentioned several times over the coming centuries, but mostly in connection with the ownership of the fishery. The church was also the owner of the salmon fishery in the Drammenselva River for a long period, but after the Reformation, ownership was returned to the crown.

We know from the earliest writings that several types of tools were in use. In a letter from Håkon Håkonssøn (1217-1263) we can read that the king warns the farmers against using lures as a fishing method, especially for the fishing rights that at that time belonged to the church.

During the time of Magnus Lagabøte (1263-1280), Mælen's fishing in Hellefossen is mentioned, which was already such a lucrative fishing method at that time that the church had secured ownership rights.

In the Diplomatarium Norvegicum from 1336, an agreement is mentioned that Ogmund, the lord of Verp, made with the church. Here, Ogmund says that "I will build up the fishing grounds in the stream outside Verp and Skreppin at Djupvik with boltwork and stone and bind it together so strongly that neither ice nor flood will pass through."

Ogmund further writes that he will also keep "all my own fishing equipment wet and in good condition."

It is clear that Ogmund has tried to prepare the possibilities for seine fishing here by building a bulwark to divert from the current, possibly also to guide the timber that was floated in the river outside the fishing grounds. This seine fishing was possible at that time because the salmon had no problem getting past Hellefossen.

Later, from around the 17th century, net fishing also came into more and more use. At about the same time we find the biggest hints of flake fishing. In a lawsuit filed in 1665 by Mælens Laksefiskerier, mention is made of "och Anden Ny paa fundne biugninger med flaker och Andre invensioner" (and other innovations found in flake fishing).

Based on the oldest written records of salmon fishing in the Drammenselva River, it must be concluded that salmon fishing has been conducted actively and with largely the same types of gear, at least throughout the last thousand years.

In other words, what we have seen and partly still see in Drammenselva is a continuation of a tradition that can be traced far, far back in time.