Wild Atlantic Salmon Welfare and River Recovery

Wild Atlantic salmon populations have declined catastrophically in recent decades. Addressing the causes of decline is both a conservation and animal welfare imperative.

Key Facts

Atlantic salmon populations across Europe and North America have declined by over 50% since the 1970s
The UK's rivers support some of the world's most important Atlantic salmon populations
Key threats include barriers to migration (dams, weirs), poor water quality, sea temperature rise and predation
Salmon die after spawning in many river systems - mass death is a natural but welfare-relevant event
Salmon caught and killed by anglers or at estuary nets experience stress and pain at capture
Conservation angling using catch-and-release reduces mortality but causes handling stress
River restoration programmes - removing weirs, improving water quality - show measurable recovery

Welfare Considerations

Wild Atlantic salmon welfare operates at both individual and population levels. Individual fish experience significant physiological stress during migration - overcoming obstacles, avoiding predators, and navigating degraded habitats. Fish captured by anglers experience cortisol elevation, exhaustion and handling stress even when released. At a population scale, declining numbers mean reduced genetic diversity and ecosystem service provision. River restoration is the most impactful intervention, addressing multiple stressors simultaneously while benefiting the entire river ecosystem.

What You Can Do

Support river restoration charities including the Salmon and Trout Conservation charity
Advocate for dam removal and fish passage improvement in river management plans
Support water quality improvements by reducing fertiliser and pesticide use near waterways
If fishing for salmon, use barbless hooks and minimise handling time if catch-and-release
Choose farmed salmon certified to high welfare standards rather than wild-caught