The populations of Atlantic salmon in England and Wales have dropped significantly to record lows, as stated in the Atlantic Salmon Stock Assessment for 2024, a report released by the United Kingdom Environment Agency and Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. The report reveals that a staggering 90 percent of wild river salmon in England are now classified as either “at risk” or “probably at risk”, due to dwindling numbers that are insufficient for a sustainable salmon population. Alan Lovell, chairman of the Environment Agency, expressed concern over the drastic decline, noting that only a third of the estimated 1.4 million salmon that used to return to UK rivers annually 40 years ago are now present. This decline has led to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) changing the status of Atlantic salmon from “least concern” to “endangered” in Great Britain on its Red List of Threatened Species. Dylan Roberts, head of fisheries at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust in the UK, highlighted an 80 percent decline in wild Atlantic salmon over the past four decades.
The reasons behind the endangerment of Atlantic salmon in the UK are multifaceted. Agricultural practices, such as pollution, sedimentation, chemical run-off, and disruption of rivers, pose significant threats to salmon habitats. Structural barriers in rivers, water scarcity, and rising ocean temperatures due to climate change further endanger salmon ecosystems. Bycatch, which involves unintentionally capturing salmon while fishing for other species, also contributes to the decline in salmon populations. Maize production, particularly for biofuels and cattle fodder, has had a detrimental impact on rivers and streams crucial for salmon survival.
Salmon farming, which accounts for a large portion of the world’s salmon production, is not a viable solution to offset the losses in wild salmon populations. Intensive farming practices in cramped sea cages can lead to disease outbreaks, environmental degradation, and genetic disruption when farmed salmon interbreed with wild populations. The release of farmed salmon into freshwater rivers and streams can further exacerbate the decline in wild salmon numbers. Overall, the future of Atlantic salmon in the UK remains uncertain, as efforts to mitigate the various threats facing these iconic fish species are crucial for their survival.