Beyond salmon, many other migratory fish species including sea trout, European eel, shad, and lampreys face welfare challenges from river barriers, pollution, and fishing pressure during migrations.
Key Facts
European eel migrates from European rivers to the Sargasso Sea to spawn - a 6,000km journey
Sea trout face similar river barrier problems to salmon but are less studied
Allis shad and twaite shad are endangered migratory fish that once thronged UK rivers
Lampreys are ancient jawless fish that require clean gravel for reproduction
River barriers block migration for all these species, not just salmon
Population declines of migratory fish are among the steepest of any vertebrate group globally
Welfare Considerations
The welfare of migratory fish beyond the well-publicised salmon extends to multiple species that have received much less attention. European eels attempting to migrate downstream through turbines face injury and death. Sea trout and shad face the same river barrier problems as salmon but with less remediation investment. Lampreys - ancient fish vital to river ecosystems - require very specific clean gravel conditions for reproduction that pollution and siltation destroy. The welfare of individual fish attempting migration through degraded rivers involves physiological exhaustion from attempting to navigate barriers, injury from turbine passage, and reproductive failure from inability to reach spawning grounds. River restoration benefits entire fish communities.
What You Can Do
Support River Trust campaigns for fish-friendly barrier removal and bypass design
Advocate for fishways and fish passes at all river barriers blocking migratory species
Donate to Environment Agency fisheries improvement programmes
Engage with water company abstraction reviews that maintain adequate river flows
Report fish kills and water quality incidents to Environment Agency hotline 0800 807060
Learn about the full range of migratory fish to appreciate the scope of river restoration benefits