Wild Salmon Welfare and River Management

Wild Atlantic salmon face welfare challenges from river obstacles, poor water quality, overfishing and climate change that affect their entire lifecycle.

Key Facts

Atlantic salmon populations have declined by approximately 70% since the 1970s
Salmon are anadromous - born in freshwater, migrating to sea and returning to spawn
Weirs, dams and other river obstacles block migration routes and prevent fish passage
Water temperature increases from climate change are reducing suitable salmon river habitat in southern rivers
Commercial and recreational fishing adds mortality pressure to already-stressed populations
Salmon carry sea-derived nutrients inland and support terrestrial ecosystems when they spawn and die

Welfare Considerations

Wild salmon welfare encompasses the full migration cycle - from spawning gravels in headwater streams to feeding grounds in the North Atlantic and back. Each stage presents welfare challenges: habitat quality in spawning grounds, obstacle passage causing injury and energy expenditure, bycatch mortality at sea and during freshwater migration, and thermal stress from warming rivers. River restoration - removing or bypassing obstacles, improving water quality and shading - directly improves salmon welfare by facilitating easier migration. Supporting salmon recovery is also a significant ecosystem welfare intervention given their keystone role.

What You Can Do

Support Rivers Trust and Atlantic Salmon Trust river restoration projects
Advocate for removal of obsolete weirs and dams that block salmon migration
Report pollution in rivers to the Environment Agency immediately
Choose sustainably caught wild salmon from certified fisheries with low impact methods
Support riparian tree planting to shade rivers and maintain cool temperatures for salmon