Wild Salmon Welfare and River Habitat

Wild Atlantic and Pacific salmon face multiple stressors during their remarkable migratory lives, including pollution, barriers, predation, and climate change impacts on river temperature.

Key Facts

Atlantic salmon populations have declined by over 70% in many rivers since the 1970s
Salmon navigate back to their birth rivers using magnetic fields and chemical signatures
Water temperatures above 23 degrees Celsius are physiologically stressful for salmon
Hydroelectric dams block migration and can render entire river systems inaccessible
Wild salmon support entire river ecosystems by bringing marine nutrients inland

Welfare Considerations

Salmon face welfare challenges across their entire lifecycle. In rivers, barriers prevent migration and force fish to wait exhausted below obstacles they cannot pass. Temperature rises cause physiological stress and increase vulnerability to disease. In the ocean, industrial fishing and environmental degradation reduce survival rates. Individual fish attempting to complete their migration encounter a gauntlet of human-made obstacles that cause stress, injury, and death. Restoring river connectivity through dam removal and fish pass installation offers meaningful welfare benefits at scale.

What You Can Do

Support dam removal and fish pass installation campaigns in your region
Advocate for river temperature monitoring and abstraction controls during heat events
Choose sustainably certified wild salmon or reduce salmon consumption
Donate to river restoration organisations working on habitat improvement
Report obstacles to fish migration to relevant environmental authorities