Alien pink salmon are here again
An alien species of salmon is starting to return to Scottish rivers – after first turning up two years ago – sparking fears for the native king of fish among worried anglers.
Pink salmon are native to Pacific Ocean waters but have spread to parts of northern Europe after being released into rivers in Russia in the 1960s.
Fisheries Management Scotland said 2017 saw “unprecedented numbers” of pink salmon in UK rivers.
The network said that due to the fish’s two-year life cycle the salmon was returning again this year.
It also added that the previous invasion “originated from a particularly strong year class with good marine survival.”
Now returning Pacific pink salmon have recently been captured on Scottish rivers including the Dee, Tweed, Oykel and Kyle of Sutherland.
Sean Robertson, science and mitigation officer with the Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries, said its first pink salmon turned up on Saturday at Bonar Bridge and another on the Oykel on Monday.
“It is very worrying,” he said. “To have two in two days is very concerning and not shaping up well for the rest of the season. It is still early days and in August we might see a fuller picture.” There are concerns the invasive species could become established in Scottish rivers and compete with native Atlantic salmon food.
The Ness, which flows from the northern end of Loch Ness to Inverness and the Beauly Firth, and Helmsdale in Sutherland were among the rivers pink salmon were spotted in during 2017, but none yet this year.