Fish

Atlantic Salmon Welfare: River Barriers and Fishing Pressure

Wild Atlantic salmon face welfare harms from dams blocking migration, sport fishing, and predation from escaped farmed salmon.

Key Facts

Atlantic salmon populations have declined by 80% since the 1970s
Over 30,000 dams block salmon migration routes in the eastern US
Fish ladders allow some passage but impose exhausting delays on migratory fish
Sport fishing catch-and-release mortality rates are estimated at 2-10% per catch event
Escaped farmed salmon carry sea lice that infect wild salmon in coastal areas

Welfare Considerations

Wild salmon blocked by dams exhaust themselves attempting passage through inadequate fish ladders. Catch-and-release fishing causes physiological stress, lactic acid buildup, and a 2-10% mortality rate even when fish are released. Sea lice from fish farms attach to wild salmon during their coastal migration, causing skin damage and immune suppression. Each barrier on a migration route represents additional welfare harm imposed on fish already facing multiple stressors.

What You Can Do

Support dam removal projects that restore salmon migration routes
Choose sport fishing methods that minimize lactic acid buildup and release time
Advocate for mandatory sea lice monitoring around salmon farms near migration routes
Donate to Atlantic Salmon Federation river restoration programs
Engage with your watershed council on salmon migration barrier removal priorities