SALMON FARMERS BACK HOLYROOD INQUIRY INTO WILD SALMON DECLINE

Salmon farmers back Holyrood inquiry into wild salmon decline. Scotland’s salmon farmers have backed calls for a Holyrood inquiry into the future of the nation’s iconic wild salmon.

Salmon Scotland chief executive Tavish Scott has urged MSPs to carry out a full investigation next session into how the species is managed and the environmental pressures it faces.

The call follows evidence given to the Scottish Parliament’s rural affairs and islands committee by Fisheries Management Scotland chief executive Dr Alan Wells, who said he would welcome an inquiry into wild salmon management. Dr Wells also told MSPs that the organisation has recommended introducing a rod licence for anglers as part of the wild salmon strategy, a proposal now under consideration by the Scottish Government.

Wild salmon have been declining for decades, driven by habitat loss, rising river and sea temperatures, and pressure on migration routes. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently reclassified wild Atlantic salmon in Great Britain from “near threatened” to “endangered”.

Figures published by the Scottish Government show wild salmon catches fell by around 40 per cent in 2025, with numbers down 43 per cent on east coast rivers including the Tay, Tweed and Dee, and 29 per cent on rivers on the west coast. The Scottish Government has identified more than 40 pressures affecting wild salmon, ranging from climate change and habitat loss to changes in marine survival.

Mr Scott welcomed Dr Wells’ position and raised concerns about the level of investment in conservation projects aimed at improving habitats and supporting wild salmon. He said Scotland is lagging behind other countries that use rod licences for recreational anglers, which can help generate funding for conservation work.

More than £635,000 has been invested through the Salmon Scotland Wild Fisheries Fund in projects aimed at restoring rivers and rebuilding wild salmon populations. A further £230,000 will be invested in fish conservation projects funded by the salmon sector in 2026.

Past projects include repairing failing dams in the Western Isles, stabilising eroding riverbanks in Argyll, creating cover for juvenile fish on Ayrshire burns, and monitoring at the Tournaig trap in Wester Ross.

The fund has also supported research on the River Carron, where biologist Bob Kindness is using DNA analysis to study how conservation stocking affects returning salmon.

Separately, salmon farmers have supported research aimed at improving understanding of wild salmon migration, contributing £560,000 and providing vessels and staff for the West Coast Tracking Project led by the Atlantic Salmon Trust, Fisheries Management Scotland and the Scottish Government.

Mr Scott also highlighted concerns about gaps in data on wild salmon catches and the absence of a rod licence system used in many other salmon fishing nations.

Salmon Scotland chief executive Tavish Scott said:

“We agree with Dr Wells that the next Parliament should carry out a full inquiry into the future of wild salmon in Scotland’s rivers.We also support his call for a rod licence to be introduced to help improve data and support conservation. Wild salmon numbers have been declining for decades, with climate change, damaged river habitats and pressures at sea all taking their toll.

“Scotland’s salmon farmers are already playing their part in finding solutions, from funding river restoration projects to supporting research into wild salmon migration. We want wild salmon to recover so more money generated by angling needs to be invested in conservation. Rod licences used in other salmon fishing nations could help improve catch data and support conservation.”

Image: Salmon Scotland