Concerning new report reveals major problem with Atlantic salmon populations: 'A government and agencies who have consistently failed'

Pollution, climate woes, and other man-made challenges are hitting England and Wales' salmon hard, with populations hitting a record low.

What's happening?

A new report from the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science shows a sharp decline in Atlantic salmon populations in England and Wales. 

The three groups reported that a declared salmon catch of 5,399 fish in 2023 represented a record low since the first annual report on the species was produced in 1997. In fact, up until 2017, at least 20,000 fish were caught annually, according to The Guardian, which reported on the findings.

The publication explained that of the 64 rivers that had once contained significant numbers of these salmon, only one is not at risk, meaning the rest no longer support sustainable populations.

Factors like sewage and agricultural pollution, sedimentation, chemical runoff from industries, runoff from roads, barriers blocking salmon spawning routes, and low water levels are all to blame for poor river health and struggling salmon populations, according to the news site.

"Anglers are leading the fight to protect wild Atlantic salmon," Stuart Singleton-White, head of campaigns at the Angling Trust, told The Guardian. "...Too often that fight has been against a government and agencies who have consistently failed to take the plight of Atlantic salmon seriously. Atlantic salmon need cold clear water, they need free flowing rivers, and they need to be able to complete their life cycle, both in our rivers and our oceans. Too often they get none of these."

Why is this report important?

Wild Atlantic salmon help support communities in the North Atlantic both as a source of food and an economic driver, according to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization. 

The group adds that these fish provide recreational activities like guided "salmon safaris," which positively contribute to peoples' quality of life. At the same time, salmon are important to many cultures across the region, appearing in folk tales such as the Mabinogion in Wales and as the Salmon of Knowledge in Ireland.

Of course, declining salmon populations are concerning for the environment as well. For one, salmon is a keystone species that is critical to the overall health of the ecosystems where it lives, as the Atlantic Salmon Trust explained. These fish serve as food for other species and help to transport food and nutrients among the ocean, estuaries, and freshwater environments, per the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

What's being done about wild salmon declines?

There are some signs of hope in England, such as the removal of a dam that had blocked the passage of Atlantic salmon. Now, the species is spawning in an area that it had not had access to in over a century.

England and Wales aren't the only places facing salmon declines, however. For instance, native communities in Alaska are watching salmon disappear due to warming waters and overfishing. There, tribal leaders are coming together to fight against industrial trawlers. 

Plus, a myriad of other projects across the globe seek to restore salmon populations. For instance, the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Department of Fish and Wildlife are working together to remove barriers that block salmon migration.

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