I read with interest this article, over at the Highland News website in which the author suggests that he has not managed to hook a single salmon parr this year and asks the question whether this is widespread, or just a quirk on his behalf.
For my part, I contributed to the conservation efforts this time around by being far too busy to get a single days fishing on a proper salmon river, so can only rely on the view expressed by others on this one!
If there are fewer parr, this should be a grave cause for concern for all salmon anglers, as it means declining numbers of salmon can be anticipated for several (even many) years to come.
This piece of news comes fresh on the heels of another press released story which is perhaps in the opposite vein: the salmon farming company Loch Duart Ltd has secured investment to make a £3.7m investment in three sea lochs. More on this story here.
It is worrying to note that almost all research I have seen into the decline of wild salmon numbers points to salmon farming as a contributory factor to a greater or lesser degree. While I appreciate that Loch Duart are actively farming in the most evironmentally friendly (and fish friendly) way they commercially can – and commanding a higher price as a result – it is increases such as this over the past 20 or so years which have coincided with a lack of wild salmon recovery.
Many rivers are now as clean as they have been for many years, yet salmon are not thriving. Fish are regularly loused and poorly conditioned.
If the experiences of the author from the Highland Times aren’t isolated, there may well be fewer juvenile salmon in our rivers than ever before.
Is it now time for some action to put this situation right, before Atlantic salmon are no longer a feature wihin British river systems?
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