Written by: Nigel Geary
The Atlantic salmon, once a symbol of our thriving rivers, is now on the brink of disappearing from English and Welsh waters. The latest report from the Environment Agency and Cefas paints a worrying picture: salmon stocks in 2023 were the lowest ever recorded since monitoring began in 1997. With just 5,399 salmon declared caught in 2023 – down significantly from 6,952 in 2022 – it’s clear that immediate action is needed to save this iconic species.
The Ribble is among the 64 rivers designated as “principal salmon rivers.” However, the health of these rivers is deteriorating. Of the 64 rivers, only one is currently considered not at risk. The remaining rivers, including the Ribble, face an uphill battle to maintain their salmon populations.
Why is this happening?
The decline is the result of a perfect storm of environmental challenges:
- Pollution: Sewage, agricultural runoff, and chemicals from industries are poisoning our waterways, creating inhospitable environments for salmon.
- River Modifications: Weirs and other barriers are preventing salmon from migrating to their spawning grounds. Rivers have been dug deep and straightened, reducing the shallow areas salmon need for spawning.
- Water Abstraction: Water companies have been extracting excessive amounts of water from rivers, leading to dangerously low levels that further stress salmon populations.
- Climate Change: Warmer waters and changing environmental conditions are compounding these issues, making it even harder for salmon to survive.
- Issues at Sea: Salmon face numerous challenges at sea, including overfishing by trawlers and salmon farms located on migration routes. The recent Derwent tagging project highlighted that these farms are impacting salmon survival. Increased predation at sea from seals, whose numbers have surged in places like South Walney, presents another challenge. While the recovery of the seal population has been seen as a conservation success, has it affected salmon numbers, as seals prey heavily on migratory fish.
Predation: The Unspoken Elephant in the Room
One of the most pressing concerns, often overlooked, is predation from fish-eating birds. Many Ribble anglers have witnessed the explosion in numbers of cormorants and goosanders—species that were rarely seen until the 1990s. This predation, particularly from cormorants, has become a serious issue. A video recently taken from the Eden, shows over 100 cormorants leaving the River near Armathwaite, a level of predation that is simply unsustainable for the already dwindling salmon population.
This is not just a problem confined to our rivers; it is part of a broader ecosystem imbalance that is threatening the future of salmon.
Salmon as an Indicator Species
Salmon are more than just a valued catch for anglers—they are an indicator species. This means their decline reflects the overall health of our rivers and ecosystems, both freshwater and marine. If salmon populations are plummeting, it signals that our waters are in trouble. A river or coastline that can’t sustain salmon is unlikely to be able to support other wildlife either.
What Can Be Done?
Anglers, like those in the RFCA, are at the forefront of the battle to save the wild Atlantic salmon. For years, we have advocated for healthier rivers, cleaner water, and better protection for fish. Now, more than ever, it’s time for the government and regulatory bodies to step up.
As Stuart Singleton-White from the Angling Trust said in a recent national newspaper, “The government must make the future of wild Atlantic salmon a conservation priority.” Salmon need cold, clear, free-flowing rivers to survive—and we need to restore these conditions before it’s too late.
Save Our Salmon: Is It Time to Consider Hatcheries?
While habitat restoration and pollution control are key, the question now is: Should we be considering salmon hatcheries as part of the solution? Hatcheries can play a vital role in boosting salmon numbers by rearing young salmon in controlled environments before releasing them into rivers. In places like Norway and Canada, hatcheries have successfully helped rebuild depleted salmon stocks.
Critics argue that hatcheries can sometimes dilute the genetic integrity of wild stocks or create dependency on artificially boosted populations. However, given the severity of the situation in our rivers, it might be time to weigh the benefits against the risks. Hatcheries could provide a crucial lifeline to save our salmon while longer-term solutions, such as restoring habitats, controlling predation, and improving water quality, take effect.
The reality is that without immediate intervention, the wild Atlantic salmon may not survive the continuing onslaught of pollution, river modifications, predation, and climate change. Hatcheries, if managed properly, could help support natural populations, giving salmon the chance to survive and thrive once more in rivers like the Ribble.
Our Role as RFCA Members
At RFCA, our mission has always been to preserve and protect our fisheries. We must continue to advocate for policies that protect our rivers and ensure salmon can thrive. Whether through partnerships with environmental organisations like the local Ribble Rivers Trust, pushing for government-backed initiatives like hatcheries, or addressing the serious issue of predation from fish-eating birds, each of us has a role to play.
The time has come for serious consideration of all options to Save Our Salmon. Hatcheries, alongside habitat restoration, tighter pollution controls, and a strategic approach to predation management, could be part of a comprehensive strategy to reverse the decline.
It’s time to double down on our efforts. The health of the Ribble and other rivers depends on us—and so does the future of wild Atlantic salmon.
For a deeper dive into the report, you can access Salmon Stocks and Fisheries in England and Wales in 2023