Home | About Salmon | Salmon Conservation

Salmon Conservation

The salmon is an iconic fish revered throughout the ages for its beauty, strength and taste. During a salmon's life time it takes part on one of the longest and most dangerous journeys on our planet and in doing so plays the vital ecological role of moving much needed nutrients from life-rich seas to nutrient poor rivers.

From the start of this journey to the end, however, salmon are in mortal peril. And humans, as always it seems, have made the dangers much worse. Fortunately, the sport-fishing community are passionate about salmon and continue to fight for the salmon's survival and well-being. Some nations too recognise the importance of salmon as a money-earning tourist attraction and have established protective measures to safeguard the salmon on 'their patch'. These measures are of little use however when your neighbouring country is netting salmon as they swim past their shores!

Here are just some of the major dangers facing salmon:

  • Predation in the sea
  • Predation in the rivers
  • Commercial netting at sea
  • Commercial netting in rivers
  • Catch and kill sport-fishing
  • Inadequate food supplies
  • Infestations of sea lice near fish farm sites
  • Competition from fish farm escapees
  • Cross breeding with fish farm escapees
  • Siltation and destruction of spawning beds
  • River obstructions
  • Polluted water
  • Inappropriate artificial stocking
  • Diseases and parasites

Here are some organisations trying to protect salmon. Please support them.

Conservation Organisations
  • email Email to a friend
  • print Print version