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In a concerted effort to support the conservation of iconic wild salmon and sea trout populations in Scotland, salmon farmers have funded an unprecedented gene bank project, among seven major environmental initiatives.
Salmon Scotland's wild fisheries fund has allocated nearly £140,000 to various organisations this year to combat long-term species decline. This fund is part of a broader £1.5 million commitment from Scotland's salmon farmers aimed at the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of wild fish populations.
Among the most ambitious projects funded, Tighnabruaich-based Otter Ferry Seafish has received £49,404 to collaborate with Argyll wild fisheries experts in developing a gene bank to support threatened salmon populations. This initial four-year project, developed in partnership with the Argyll Fisheries Trust and the River Ruel Improvement Association, aims to help stock several regional rivers and serve as a model for a nationwide network of gene banks.
“Working together with the Argyll Fisheries Trust and the River Ruel Improvement Association, we aim to preserve the genetic integrity of the river’s salmon population while giving it a real chance for rapid recovery in the future,” said Alastair Barge, managing director of Otter Ferry Seafish, in a press release.
Wild salmon and sea trout populations across the UK have been declining for decades due to habitat loss, rising river and sea temperatures, disease, and parasitism. These fish now face a marine survival rate of just 1-5 percent, a significant drop from around 25 percent three decades ago.
Since 2021, the Scottish salmon sector has invested over £335,000 in conservation efforts, including a £35,000 grant to repair the leaking Fincastle Dam on West Harris, which helps preserve a vital salmon fishery. The fund, coordinated by fishery manager Jon Gibb from Fort William, fosters a constructive relationship between the farm-raised salmon sector and fisheries and angling groups.
Additional projects funded this year include over £22,000 granted to the Galloway Fisheries Trust to reduce acidity in the River Bladnoch, and £6,305 awarded to Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh for surveying, analysis, and spawning bed improvements on the Carloway River on the Isle of Lewis.
“In 2023, wild Atlantic salmon in Scotland were officially classified as an endangered species. It’s fantastic to support a variety of innovative projects dedicated to conserving and enhancing habitat, particularly for species facing extinction in certain areas,” said Josh Gibb, coordinator of the wild fisheries fund.
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