‘Crisis’ for wild salmon

WILD salmon in Scotland’s rivers are near ‘crisis point’, a report warns.

But in its annual review, Fisheries Management Scotland says there is ‘no single reason’ for the decline.

Fish farming, global warming and pollution have been blamed, at least in part, in the past.

Fisheries Management Scotland represents the District Salmon Fishery Boards, River Tweed Commission and Fisheries Trusts and Foundations in Scotland. Its chairman, Richard Sankey, in his introduction to the review, says:

‘We have made a concerted effort to raise awareness of the critical situation that salmon face and have pressed the case for urgent action.’

He adds that recent official catch statistics for salmon and sea trout ‘confirm this iconic species is now approaching crisis point’.

Scottish Government figures released in April showed the 2019 catches of wild salmon and sea trout were only marginally better than the previous year’s historic low.