The king was born into a family with the habit and traditions of seeing and using nature as an obvious and important element in life. The king found early on that he had a personal interest in nature and a desire to develop it through involvement in nature- and environmental protection, outdoor life, hunting and fishing.
Being head of state is an extensive assignment with high demands and limited space for personal wishes and opportunities for privacy. Moments and occasional days with a fishing rod in hand have been few, but hugely appreciated by the monarch.
He experiences the finest and perhaps most valuable moments in the cabin at Forsavan in Tärnaån, He inherited it from his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, and a few years ago he left custody to his sister- and godson, Gustaf Magnuson, by the way, a guest Långåfisket.
The king's early interest in fishing has been developed through knowledge, learning, fishing of course, and scientific commitment to fisheries conservation as significant elements of his lifestyle. It is known that the King usually serves home-caught fish to family and guests as a knowledgeable and skilled cook in his own kitchen. He has even built his own smoking oven at Solliden!
We reproduce here some parts of the King's speech of thanks at the dinner on 27 november 2019 when for half a day and one evening he participated in the Anglers' seminar which was then celebrating his 100th anniversary. An explanation that is easy to agree with and identify with.
"To me, personally, fishing has always been a source of joy and relaxation. An opportunity to experience our rich nature. But also a link to my family history: then I think above all of my grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf. In the 30s, he built a fishing cabin in the mountains, a cottage that I visit regularly today. Maybe not as often as I'd like, but at least as often as I can.
Sport fishing is more than just a hobby. At least it will easily become so with time. It is almost impossible to be an angler without becoming interested in everything that surrounds the fish: Water- and environmental. Fishery care. Job opportunities. A sustainable development of the countryside.
When it comes to future fisheries management, you who are anglers can, and your organization, mean a lot. We all depend on good fish stocks, and I think it is important that all of us "fish-interested" try to work together.
Because everyone enjoys it. Not just the fish and nature – but also everyone who fishes for their own interest, everyone who makes a living from fishing tourism, anyone who lives by catching food fish, and all of us who want to be able to eat fish in the future.”
From Långåfisket we send a big congratulations on your 80th birthday!
/Helgi Jonsson