Salmon stocks in England and Wales lowest on record 

Salmon stocks in England and Wales lowest on record 

The IFM notes with concern but not surprise that salmon stocks in England and Wales have fallen to their lowest level since records began. The IFM has raised this concern with Ministers across the British isles. The causes of declines in freshwater are well known and well rehearsed by DEFRA , the EA and NE and by devolved administrations. Increased water temperatures and periodic floods that wash away eggs and fry are now accelerating the decline. In this regard the EA/NE press release is useful and should motivate as well as alarm us all. Atlantic salmon are an iconic animal that fed us, provided angling opportunity, and is woven into our history, culture and arts. Its loss will reflect badly on our stewardship of its environment.  Halting the decline towards extinction of Atlantic salmon, and its “cousin” the sea trout,  cannot now be seen in isolation from nature, water, land use, and climate mitigation policies and practice. The government is promising much in this regard. We urge coordinated and concerted effort and investment to:

 Remove barriers to salmon migrations.

Clean up our rivers source to mouth. 

Restore flows and river wiggling adequate for salmon migration and survival, and that create spawning, nursery and holding pool units for salmon to breed and grow.

Fully mitigate the impacts of bad salmon farming practice

Integrate policy goals to produce joined up action plans  

Increasing the number and fitness of smolts leaving freshwater must be an absolute priority now and all policies must now ensure that pollution, migration barriers, and loss of salmon habitats in our rivers cannot be allowed to happen and is meaningfully punishable if it does. Novel approaches to resilience to climate change impacts are needed now.