Knut Wiik Vollset

Knut Wiik Vollset is a professor at the Norwegian Research Centre’s (NORCE) Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (LFI). In this interview, we discuss his work at the Bergen Telemetry Network, which focuses on using advanced telemetry techniques for tracking fish and aquatic animals such as salmon, trout, spiny dogfish, cod, wrasse, lobster, and otters.

Why is this research important? 

Our research at the Bergen Telemetry Network focuses on the emerging and historical threats to aquatic animals on the west coast of Norway. Some of our main projects include studying the effect of hydropower on the freshwater habitats of salmon and trout, the impact of deep- water deoxygenation on shark habitats, and the effect of marine restoration on urban resident fish and crustaceans in the city centre of Bergen. Determining how these animals are potentially affected by human actions is very important when it comes to informing decisions about management, regulations, and policy—and to realise our long-term goal of minimising harmful human impacts while creating sustainable mitigation or restoration plans. 

What has been the response to your research so far? 

Some of our projects get a lot of attention, such as our studies on pathogens and parasites in fish farms. This research involves a lot of stakeholders, so naturally there is a very large response—which can be positive or negative.  

We have another project in the city centre of Bergen which is very visible; people see our receivers, they see us out fishing on the boats, and they get interested in what we’re doing. Our field work creates an opportunity to reach out to the public and talk about our work. But there are  other projects, like our research on the spiny dogfish, that get very little attention, and you have to go directly to communities to say “Hey, these fish are around, you should care!”  

How have you used acoustic telemetry in your research? 

Acoustic telemetry was first used in one of the projects we were involved in the river Vosso around 2003, with the tagging of Atlantic salmon smolts, but it was just one tool of many. It wasn’t until Robert Lennox came in around five or six years ago that we started looking at things differently, and we began to plan to set up an area for acoustic telemetry. Now, it is more than a singular tool and is instead a platform for long term projects that span multiple species and questions. However, I personally find the most interesting results come about in the blending of acoustic telemetry with other types of data, such as biological samples from fish. When you combine multiple approaches, you get a much greater ecological context.

Could you tell me more about the Passion for the Ocean event? 

Bergen is a hub for marine research, so you have a lot of ocean research institutions, aquaculture and fishery industry offices, as well as NORCE—our research group—that take part in a big ocean literacy event known as Passion for the Ocean. There’s a festival with interactive booths, and also summer camps where kids can participate in fun activities to get involved in ocean science. This year, two of our PHD students, Lotte Dahlmo and Cecille Iden Nilsen, planned ‘hai sommer’ (shark summer), a free camp for teenagers that allowed them to snorkel, fish and dissect sharks.

Spiny dogfish caught by a hai sommer student.

How does OTN support your project? 

We have been directly supported through OTN’s receiver loan program. On a broader scale, OTN’s database and the community of researchers play a pivotal role in our development as a research group.