Wild Atlantic Salmon Welfare: Threats and Conservation Priorities

Wild Atlantic salmon face multiple anthropogenic welfare and conservation threats requiring coordinated action across their migratory range.

Key Facts

Atlantic salmon populations have declined by more than 70 percent since the 1970s across their North Atlantic range.
They are anadromous, migrating from rivers to the ocean and back to spawn in their natal streams.
Sea lice from salmon farms infest wild salmon smolts migrating past farm sites, causing mortality.
River barriers including dams block migration routes and prevent access to spawning grounds.
Water temperature increases from climate change affect suitable spawning habitat and juvenile survival.
Catch-and-release angling is now standard practice in most Atlantic salmon rivers to protect declining stocks.
River restoration including dam removal has enabled population recovery in several European rivers.

Welfare Considerations

Wild Atlantic salmon welfare is inseparable from their conservation status; a declining population of fish faces cumulative stressors including sea lice infestation, migration barriers, and climate-driven habitat change. Each of these stressors causes individual animal suffering as well as population-level harm. Sea lice cause skin lesions and osmotic stress in juvenile fish at critical developmental stages. Migration barriers cause physiological stress and mortality from exhaustion. Catch-and-release angling, while conservation-supporting, imposes acute stress that requires minimisation through good handling practice. The recovery of Atlantic salmon requires coordinated action on multiple fronts simultaneously.

What You Can Do

Support river restoration organisations working on dam removal and fish pass installation.
Follow catch-and-release best practice: barbless hooks, minimal handling, and rapid water return.
Advocate for sea lice management regulations that protect wild salmon migration corridors near fish farms.
Donate to Atlantic salmon conservation organisations and river restoration projects.
Engage policymakers about climate adaptation strategies for Atlantic salmon spawning habitat protection.