The Atlantic Salmon Trust is a UK based charity with Atlantic wide interests which champions the wild salmon and sea trout - it does not represent any other interests or body, only the fish themselves
Overview of importance of freshwater habitat for both salmon and sea trout. Good freshwater habitat is of crucial importance to the breeding success of both salmon and sea trout populations.
The coastal/estuarioal; zone. Inshore or coastal waters and estuaries are the zone where fish face the greatest number of man-made challenges.
The ocean habitat of the Atlantic salmon. We have known for a number of years that Atlantic salmon suffer very substantial mortality at sea - up to 95%. The data from the SALSEA project indicate that many salmon die at sea because of factors related to climate change. However, AST believes that we should concentrate on the things we can change in relation to the salmon's ocean odyssey.
The Atlantic Salmon Trust is a UK based charity with Atlantic wide interests which champions the wild salmon and sea trout - it does not represent any other interests or body, only the fish themselves.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/about-the-trust/index.html
The Atlantic salmon is an important part of the ecology of many rivers in the UK and northern Europe. Studying the life-cycle of these fascinating fish is an ideal way to introduce young people to many aspects of our environment, and indeed of European geography.
Atlantic Salmon Trust, Suite 3/11, King James VI Business Centre, Friarton Road, Perth, PH2 8DG. Tel: 01738 472032
Over seventy of your questions answered. Facts about salmon and sea trout for all levels. From layman to expert.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/index.html
Up to the minute news reports about Atlantic salmon and sea trout from around the world.
One of the most amazing - and moving – sights in nature is that of the mature Atlantic salmon leaping up waterfalls, weirs and fish passes on its way home to spawn. It's a sight that can be guaranteed to fascinate onlookers, whether they fish or not.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/where-to-see-salmon/index.html
Thoughts on the issues surrounding Atlantic salmon and sea trout and reports from the important work we do.
The Trust's archive of documents and publications.
The job of the Trust is to show people how both species can be conserved and managed to enable their value to society to be realised sustainably. The Trust’s work concentrates on improving our knowledge of these fish, their habitats and their complex and fascinating life histories. Until recently this knowledge was confined mainly to the freshwater aspects of their life cycle, but in the last three years the AST has funded research to find out where salmon from different regions feed at sea, and why marine mortality of both salmon and sea trout continues to reduce their abundance in our rivers.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policy-and-research/index.html
We have remodelled the AST website to make it easier than ever to find exactly the information you want.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/a-guide-to-using-the-website.html
Search the entire Atlantic Salmon Trust website.
Important upcoming events from the Trust diary.
Links to other sites concerning salmon and sea trout that may interest our readers.
Whilst the Atlantic Salmon Trust hopes that users will find the contents of the website interesting and informative, the contents are for general information only. No reliance should be placed upon the contents of the website: advice and independent verification should be sought. None of the contents of the website either will form part of any contract with the Atlantic Salmon Trust.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/terms-and-conditions-privacy.html
A listing of all the pages from the Trust website.
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The annual auction is the AST's principal fund raising event. Without your support we wouldn't be able to continue our important work to secure the future of Atlantic salmon and sea trout.
Issues affecting welfare and breeding success of salmon and sea trout in fresh water. Optimal management of the freshwater period of the life-cycle of both salmon and sea trout should be aimed at allowing the maximum number of healthy breeding fish to spawn (thus maximising egg deposition) and maintaining conditions which allow the maximum number of eggs to hatch and produce healthy smolts which can reach the ocean.
AST policies on freshwater habitat of Atlantic salmon and sea trout. Much of our focus will be in support of the work of our sister organisations. Specific areas of work identified by AST are: Providing tools for fishery managers; Acting as a hub for knowledge on stocking and fishery enhancement; Promoting better understanding of the role of small streams; Improving understanding of why some trout go to sea and others don’t.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/freshwater/best-practice.html
This page is still under construction. Please call back soon!
The scientific bases for AST policies in coastal/estuarial waters. AST, along with other organisations, is keen to see open pen salmon aquaculture facilities moved away from those sites which pose the greatest threat to wild salmon and sea trout. Our main concerns are in relation to: * the potential for epizootics of L salmonis larvae in areas close to salmon farms * the potential for genetic introgression via hybridisation of wild salmon and farm escapees. AST is also concerned about the potential impact of offshore renewables installations, particularly in regard to the electro-magnetic fields created by power transmission cables, and their possible impact on migratory fish.
Issues affecting he ability of salmon and sea trout to migrate safely from their natal rivers to their marine feeding grounds. In estuaries and inshore waters, optimal management should be aimed at permitting the maximum number of healthy salmon and sea trout to pass through the coastal zone in migrating from and returning to their natal rivers, unhindered and undamaged.
AST policies on the issues affecting salmon and sea trout in inshore and estuarial waters. Human activities place mounting pressure on inshore and estuarial waters specially in the context of how migratory salmonids behave there. This area is vastly under-researched, and evidence indicates that inshore waters pose the greatest threats to survival. This is where action can have most effect. AST ‘s focus is on the following three areas: Estuaries and inter-tidal habitats; Impacts from aquaculture which affect the health and survival of wild salmon and sea trout; Impacts from other industrial activities - e.g. dredging, construction and operation of offshore renewables, exploitation including coastal mixed stocks netting.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/coastal/ast-policies.html
This page is still under construction. Please call back soon!
The issues affecting optimal survival of Atlantic salmon at sea. In the open ocean, optimal management should be aimed at reducing to a minimum exploitation of salmon by commercial sea fisheries, both in targetted fisheries and as by-catch. In this habitat , AST's main concern is with salmon - although there is evidence that sea trout may range quite far out to sea in particular circumstances and places.
AST policies on improving survival of salmon at sea. AST believes there is much we can do for Atlantic salmon after they have left our shores and entered the open sea. We therefore support and, along with others, work towards: Real time management of salmon stocks;The establishment of protected migration corridors at sea; Management of sea fisheries and other marine activities so as not to threaten the survival of salmon.
Wild salmon and sea trout return from the sea to spawn in the rivers in which they hatched. Since the 1970s the numbers returning to spawn have dropped by over 50%.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/about-the-trust/hard-facts.html
As the UK's only charity whose work is devoted exclusively to the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout, the AST's focus is on the whole lives of these fish, in both freshwater and marine environments. Our primary interest is to provide our stakeholders with knowledge relevant to improving management of stocks. The priorities listed below reflect the need for clarity, relevance and precision to inform stakeholders where management intervention can help.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/about-the-trust/current-priorities.html
The Atlantic Salmon Trust is a charity. It is not a 'membership organisation' - it is funded solely by contributions from 'supporters'.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/about-the-trust/finances.html
Chief Executive: Tony Andrews, Research Director: Professor Ken Whelan, Director (England and Wales): Ivor Llewelyn, Company Secretary/Trust Administrator: Marjorie Hunter
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/about-the-trust/whos-who-at-the-trust.html
The Trust facilitates research and communicates its findings to fishery managers, owners, and the public.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/about-the-trust/activities-and-services.html
Please select the link below to view our interactive movie of the salmon's lifecycle, habitat, threats and concerns.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-life-cycle-habitat-threats-and-concerns.html
Salmon can be distinguished from large sea trout by a more streamlined shape, concave tail, slimmer tail wrist, upper jaw reaching no further than rear of the eye, few if any black spots below lateral line, 10-15 (usually 11-13) scales counted obliquely forward from adipose fin to lateral line - trout have 13-16.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/knowledge/salmon-and-sea-trout-recognition.html
There are a number of different ways you can help support the Trust
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/about-the-trust/how-you-can-help.html
Anyone involved in the science, management or exploitation of wild salmon and sea trout knows that all is not well with stocks of both species. Research affirms that there are problems in the marine environment, but has not yet established their extent nor how numbers and condition of returning adult fish are affected.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/sea-trout.html
Small streams make a substantial contribution to available breeding habitat for trout and sea trout.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/small-streams.html
The 21st century has not heralded any let-up in the pressure on our rivers, and it is becoming increasingly urgent that we understand more about the effects of different rates of flow, so that we can better manage their impacts on migratory fish.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/river-flows-symposium.html
A major factor influencing salmon abundance is increased mortality at sea. Indeed, there is unequivocal evidence that the return rates of salmon from their sea feeding grounds are just one third to one half of what they were forty years ago.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/the-salsea-project.html
In recent years, Atlantic salmon abundances have been at a historical low despite continued declines in marine and freshwater exploitation. Commercial salmon netting in Scotland continues to decline and catch and release is increasingly practised in Scotland and England. For example, anglers in Scotland returned alive more than 60% of their grilse and salmon catch in 2007.
Many readers will have heard a little about 'salmon clans', and be aware that salmon are genetically adapted to their natal river. However, the report of the SALGEN project (sponsored by the AST and funded by the European Commission) makes it clear to all fishery managers that these aspects of the species' genetics matter – indeed, taking on board the importance of genetic differences could make all the difference between saving a river's stock and losing it.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/why-the-genes-should-fit.html
The AST is taking an active part in the Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue, which is being brokered internationally by WWF. The purpose of the Dialogue is to develop a globally-accepted accreditation for sustainably-farmed salmon.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/salmon-aquaculture-dialogue.html
The issues of stocking and river restoration are complex and, in many cases, contentious. The following documents form useful contributions to our knowledge.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/stocking-and-restoration.html
AST is involved, along with others, in commenting on the UK-wide Marine Policy Statement, which will provide the high-level policy context within which Marine Plans will be developed.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/marine-planning.html
AST, in common with other organisations, is concerned about the potential adverse impact of hydropower schemes on migratory fish. You can read our briefing note on hydropower in England & Wales here.
The AST, in common with NASCO and ICES, is opposed to fisheries which exploit stocks from more than one river – mixed stock fisheries. This is because it is impossible to assess the impact of a mixed stock fishery on stocks from individual rivers.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/mixed-stock-fisheries.html
A high (and rising) proportion of salmon caught by anglers on UK rivers are now released alive. While there are still many gaps in our knowledge of the precise levels of mortality caused by hooking and playing a fish which is subsequently released, existing studies indicate that if best practice is applied when handling the fish, survival levels will be high.
Salmon aquaculture has now been with us in Scotland for more than four decades, since the first fish were raised in cages in Loch Ailort by the first incarnation of Marine Harvest. During the first twenty years or so of its existence, there was a fairly substantial failure to see the problems which were likely to arise.
There have been reports in the press recently about the development of GM salmon for fish farming. While it is for the relevant authorities to authorise the use of such salmon for human consumption, it is essential to ensure that there is no possibility of these fish escaping into the wild.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/transgenic-fish.html
AST has now developed a policy on control of sea lice, in relation to salmon aquaculture. Like all AST policies, this one is based on sound science. You can read the sea lice impacts review prepared by our Research Director, Professor Ken Whelan.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/ast-sea-lice-policy.html
Introductions (mainly involuntary) of alien species of plants and animals which become invasive constitute a serious threat to our rivers and our native fish.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/invasive-species.html
The UK Government is planning to issue a white paper on its plans for the natural environment in England and in July 2010 it published a discussion document An Invitation to Shape the Nature of England.
Salmon, both in the wild state and in fish farms, are vulnerable to bacterial and viral diseases, and also to infestation by parasites, particularly sea lice.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/diseases-and-parasites.html
Farmed salmon production in the North Atlantic area has increased dramatically, particularly in Norway, but also on the west coasts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/salmon-farming.html
Adopted by the Non Government Organisations at the 1998 meeting of the Council of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation. Wild Atlantic salmon populations throughout the North Atlantic are at their lowest levels in recorded history.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/international-accord.html
Read presentations given by AST management team members, Tony Andrews, Ken Whelan, Ivor Llewelyn
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/ast-presentations.html
The Trust is now seeking a small number of projects to support over the coming three years. It has identified a number of priority themes, which are listed below, but in exceptional cases it will consider proposals that fall outside of these if they would contribute significantly towards its objectives.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/policies-and-research/ast-research-call.html
Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham's wholehearted backing for new EU-wide plans to halt biodiversity loss has been warmly welcomed by the Atlantic Salmon Trust.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has launched a consultation on eco-friendly standard for hydropower.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/new-fish-ladder-at-pitlochry-2.html
A ruling by British Columbia's Office Information and Privacy Commissioner means that information about sea lice infestation on salmon farms must be made public.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/honorary-scientific-advisory-panel-3.html
The subject of the disastrous effect which river water abstraction can have on salmonid habitat was underlined at AST's recent Flows Conference.
A report issued by the Scottish government in January highlighted opportunities in micro-hydro schemes. This is causing concern among salmon and sea trout fishery managers, who fear that not enough account is being taken of the impact such schemes can hav
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/scotlands-micro-hydro-potential.html
As 2009 drew to a close, salmon farms in certain areas of Norway appeared to be losing the battle against sea lice.
It has been no secret that fish farming companies with sites on the eastern side of Lewis have had to work hard to combat high numbers of sea lice.
A Conservative and a Labour MP have joined forces to demand that plans for the £23 billion Severn Barrage project be dropped.
The Environment Agency has issued a consultation document on streamlining the permitting of hydropower schemes in England and Wales.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/hydropower-and-the-severn-barrage-9.html
The commission appointed to examine the causes of the 2009 collapse of the Fraser River Sockeye stocks has announced the list of participants.
Research results have shown that Norwegian wild salmon has the ability to develop genetic resistance against the Gyrodactylus parasite, reports the website fishnewseu.com
The Atlantic Salmon Trust and the Salmon and Trout Association have drawn up a list of key steps that we want the next UK Government to take in England and Wales.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/tasks-for-the-next-government-13.html
Canada's Federal Justice Department has taken over the case brought against Marine Harvest by biologist Alexandra Morton.
Evidence that the world's water cycle has already intensified is contained in new research to be published in the American Journal of Climate.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/changes-in-deep-ocean-salinities-intensifying-15.html
April 22nd is Earth Day, a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/happy-earth-day-16.html
At a recent meeting, the Environment Agency gave assurances to the AST and Salmon & Trout Association that internal reorganisation won't damage its commitment to fisheries science.
A newly-published report commissioned by the Scottish Government has made 21 recommendations for salmonid fisheries management.
If the Scottish salmon farming industry is serious about maximising input to rural economies, then surely it should be concentrating on adding value?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmon-shoes-the-next-big-thing-19.html
A one-day conference to be held in London next month will examine the opportunities and challenges involved in the development of hydro power.
WWF has issued a report calling for stricter controls on water abstraction from rivers.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/demand-for-water-could-see-rivers-drying-out-21.html
The Eden River Trust is collecting fishermen's recollections of the river for a new book on the history of the Eden.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/wistful-memories-of-a-bountiful-river-22.html
A federal judge has set aside Washington's water quality standards for salmon farms, saying federal regulators didn't use the best available science in approving them.
This is the view of an industry commentator on the future of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
Officers from Environment Agency Wales have launched an investigation after over six hundred young salmon and trout were found dead at a stream feeding the River Teifi.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ea-probes-salmon-and-sea-trout-kill-25.html
Marine Harvest Canada is set to try closed containment fish farming for the second time.
A training day for anyone interested in keeping an eye on the health of their local river is being offered by Eden Rivers Trust, in partnership with the Environment Agency.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/volunteers-needed-to-monitor-river-insects-27.html
Measuring the smolt output from a river is one of the best ways to determine the health of a slmon population.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/use-of-smolt-traps-28.html
Many UK organisations have been celebrating Biodiversity Week over the past few days.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/happy-international-biodiversity-day-29.html
An international conference of scientists and fisheries managers meeting in Portland, Oregon, last week looked at less-studied impacts of hatchery fish on wild salmon.
The AST, along with other organisations representing wild salmon and sea trout, is calling on the Scottish Government to ensure that the UK Marine Policy Statement (MPS) takes account of the welfare of our native salmonids.
A new report published in Canada says that land-based salmon farms make sense environmentally, technically and economically.
Work by Cardiff University scientists shows that salmon numbers in the River Wye fell by half between 1985 and 2004, according to the BBC news website.
Ahead of next month's NASCO conference in Quebec, the Atlantic Salmon Federation has accused the Canadian government of failing to invest enough in protecting wild salmon.
Work has begun on a project to boost the declining fish populations of the River Medway in Kent, reports the BBC.
Last week, AST's communications consultant attended the Aquaculture 2010 conference at Aviemore.
Last week's Aquaculture 2010 conference heard many mentions of the exciting prospect of farming salmon on 'offshore' sites.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/offshore-sites-too-costly-for-salmon-farmers-37.html
A 36-lb salmon was caught (and released!) on the Spey earler this month, according to the Spey Fishery Board.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/huge-salmon-caught-on-spey-38.html
Three salmon farming sites off Scalloway are to be restocked with 1.2 million smolts as part of local aquaculture investment of £1.6 million, reports the Shetland Times.
Each year CEFAS and the Environment Agency produce a report on the state of salmon stocks and fisheries in England and Wales. The 2009 figures are disappointing.
The owner of Seattle's famous Pike Place fish market has made a commitment to source only sustainable fish, according to the Seattle Times.
The Scottish Government's consultation on the Registration of the name 'Scottish Wild Salmon' as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) under the EU Protected Food Name scheme, ends on Friday 4th June.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/pgi-designation-for-scottish-wild-salmon-42.html
The Seattle Times reports that conservation & fishermen's groups have sued the Washington State Department of Ecology, after fears that hydro-electric schemes were cutting river levels too much.
The revered landlocked species was a major food source for aboriginal peoples and European settlers but it vanished from Lake Ontario in the late 1800s due to the damming of spawning tributaries, overfishing by commercial vessels and pollution.
World Oceans Day was officially declared by the United Nations as June 8th each year beginning in 2009.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/happy-world-oceans-day-45.html
The inquiry was ordered after Fraser River's sockeye returns dropped by 90% last year.
The Wye and Usk Foundation has bought out the last remaining putcher rank on the river Severn for the current season, and is looking for help in meeting the costs.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/severn-mixed-stock-fishery-bought-out-47.html
Yesterday's Sunday Times (Scottish edition) carried an article which followed on from an AST news item published on 27th May.
The concrete tanks built in Iceland many years ago to farm salmon are to be re-used to grow warm-water fish, reports the fishfarmingexpert.com website.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/iceland-to-try-landbased-fish-farming-again-49.html
The question was put to delegates attending the recent Aquavision conference in Norway.
A new study led by researchers at the University of Washington shows that without its current population diversity, the Bristol Bay sockeye fishery would close ten times more frequently than at present.
New figures released by the Environment Agency today show a surge in applications for hydropower schemes, as communities and businesses rush to capitalise on Government incentives to produce renewable electricity.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/hydropower-gold-rush-in-england-and-wales-52.html
The Loughs Agency has stated that the suspension is due to the numbers of salmon in the River Finn being below the stipulated conservation levels.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/netting-suspended-in-the-foyle-river-system-53.html
Salmon genetically engineered to grow twice the normal rate could end up on dinner plates if US regulators give the go-ahead, according to the New York Times.
Conservation groups at Cook Inlet in Alaska have set up a project to monitor water temperature in spawning streams, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
THE Eastern Regional Fisheries Board (ERFB) has rescued over 5,000 salmon smolts from Ireland’s most polluted river, reports the Irish Times.
The Moray Firth Sea Trout Project is holding a sea trout conference in Inverness on the 16th September.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/sea-trout-conference-57.html
Mr. Sean Connick, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has launched a milestone report on the effects of climate change on Ireland’s marine ecosystems.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/how-climate-change-is-affecting-irelands-seas-58.html
The project, named 'Prevent Escape', involves pan-European partners, including the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS).
Well, we've heard of smoked salmon flavoured with whisky, but an Alaskan distiller has taken the process one step further.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmonflavoured-vodka-anyone-60.html
Inland Fisheries Ireland, officially launched today, replaces 17 bodies formerly involved in the management of the resource.
Just a month after the Scottish Government's consultation on whether or not wild Scottish salmon should receive a marketing boost, a US body has asked consumers to avoid salmon from depleted stocks.
Rearing young salmon in relatively warm waters, used when farmers want to increase fish growth rates, causes skeletal deformities, Norwegian researchers have found.
Farmed salmon in particular have proved vulnerable to a condition called heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI), a disease that can kill up to 20% of infected fish.
A story from Alaska's Nushagak River may ring some rather chilling bells with fishery owners in parts of the UK.
A new book by Paul Greenberg, 'Four Fish' tells the story of four marine species whose flesh has the unfortunate (for them) fatty flavour that humans crave: salmon, tuna, sea bass and cod.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/four-fish-the-future-of-the-last-wild-food-66.html
Fisheries and Oceans Canada released new proposed rules this week for the fish farms, with a 60-day consultation period in which the salmon farming industry, First Nations and other stakeholders, including the public, can comment.
This year's Institute of Fisheries Management conference will be held in Portsmouth from 18th - 21st October.
In September 2007 the AST held its 40th anniversaryconference, in association with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, on freshwater habitat management of salmonid fisheries.
A draft proposal on a Canadian organic standard for aquaculture has led to heated debate over the meaning of 'organic', according to the Calgary Herald.
Fast-growing farm-raised salmon and trout that are sterile can now be produced using a method developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists.
A new study blames global warming for the 40% drop observed in the microscopic plants that support all life in the oceans.
Beach anglers at Bexhill claim fishing boats from Hastings are flouting a law put in place to protect sea trout.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/sussex-anglers-angered-by-inshore-fishing-74.html
Things are showing little sign of picking up in the Chilean farmed salmon sector, following the drastic collapse of the industry in 2008 - 9.
Yesterday WWF published the final draft of the criteria for a global standard for sustainably farmed salmon. As we were all hoping, after long-term lobbying, the draft recommends no accreditation for smolt raised in net pens.
Wine-producers in the Walla Walla Valley, in Washington State, have introduced new growing practices aimed at helping protect wild salmon.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmon-safe-wines-catching-on-in-us-77.html
The following press release went out to all relevant media this afternoon.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ast-launches-new-sea-lice-policy-78.html
Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead fishery managers are exploring alternatives to guide future hatchery operations and reduce their impact on natural populations.
A fish counter at a Northumbrian Water pumping station at Wylam recorded 9,240 salmon and sea trout during July, according to the BBC.
Fish have been returning in large numbers to the river which passes through the Cornish village of Boscastle, according to the BBC.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmon-return-to-floodhit-cornish-river-81.html
Restoring Atlantic Salmon in Maine has long been a goal of a number of various stakeholders, but up until now there has been little agreement on how to go about it.
Despite record-breaking salmon runs in Quebec and Atlantic Canada this year, numbers in parts of Labrador are substantially down, according to a Canadian website.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/labrador-sees-big-drop-in-salmon-returns-83.html
Research carried out at the University of Gothenburg indicates that competition from older fish causes young salmon and trout to seek refuge in shallow water.
The Pacific Salmon Commission expects this year's returns of Fraser River sockeye to be a record-breaking 25 million.
Environmental and animal welfare agencies are carrying out an investigation into the deaths of thousands of fully-grown salmon at a fish farm in Shetland earlier this month.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/thousands-of-salmon-die-on-shetland-farm-86.html
Concerns are often voiced over the extent to which antibiotics administered to farm animals can enter groundwater.
The online edition of Time magazine carries a thoughtful article entitled 'How I learned to love farmed fish'.
The US Food & Drug Administration has given its verdict on GM salmon, making it likely that the fish will be the first genetically modified animal to enter the American food supply.
A guest column and a letter published on the Oregonlive.com website in the last few days show that the 'hatchery effect' question is far from settled.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/more-views-on-the-hatchery-debate-90.html
The world's largest producer of farmed salmon, Marine Harvest, has announced plans to rebuild its production in Chile.
The creature has been found at Grafham Water reservoir in Cambridgeshire - the first time the shrimp has been found in this country.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/invasive-killer-shrimp-found-in-uk-94.html
Canadian media report that government officials are still trying to account for the death of 500,000 fry at a commercial hatchery in Nova Scotia.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/mystery-surrounds-nova-scotia-fish-farm-kill-93.html
The UK government has launched a new website which explains the science on climate change.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/understanding-climate-change-95.html
NASA is designing satellite-based robotic probes to monitor how the planet is changing.
Yesterday evening's Channel Five 'Nature Shock' documentary reminds us that, despite knowledge of its dire consequences, river pollution is still a major issue.
An Arctic tern ringed on the Farne Islands in 1980 was recaptured this year, alive and well.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/migratory-seabird-celebrates-30th-birthday-98.html
A new study shows that effluent from farms still poses a threat to some of our rivers.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/fences-could-help-clean-up-watercourses-99.html
The Irish part of the Celtic Sea Trout Project was officially launch at a ceremony in County Wicklow yesterday.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/minister-launches-celtic-sea-trout-project-100.html
Earlier this week, Ivor Llewelyn (the AST's deputy director) and Paul Knight of the Salmon & Trout Association met Richard Benyon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Natural Environment and Fisheries.
According to the Ecologist magazine, US authorities have delayed the decision to approve GM salmon for the marketplace.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/gm-farmed-salmon-in-the-us-an-update-102.html
Yesterday's edition of the Sunday Times carried an article on concerns about the impact of subsea cables from marine renewables projects.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ast-quoted-in-sunday-times-103.html
Staff from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are to walk the banks of several rivers and burns in Tayside in the coming weeks.
A new report from a Canadian-US research team shows that the N Pacific is seeing record numbers of salmon.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/north-pacific-overcrowded-with-salmon-105.html
Climate change will see major alterations in sensitive peatland river catchments, according to a newly-published Irish study.
Last night's Horizon programme, broadcast on BBC2, highlighted some disturbing results from the Census of Marine Life project.
The Scottish Coal Company has been fined £7,000 for polluting a small river with coal slurry.
AST's Research Director Professor Ken Whelan and Chief Executive Tony Andrews are in Dublin this week for the SALSEA-merge scientific conference.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salseamerge-conference-an-update-109.html
Tony Andrews, the AST's Chief Executive, presented the work of the AST at the River Carron Expo Day in Grangemouth last week.
A project being run by the US Department of Energy should throw light on just how far subsea electricity transmission cables affect marine life.
The Thurso River in Caithness has had the best salmon season since records began in 1896.
The Scottish government has today published the 2009 figures for salmonid catches.
The AST has joined other organisations in pressing for best possible use of government funds in England and Wales.
The Environment Agency has published a new report on the status of otters.
The Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS) has published its 2009 Ecological Status report.
The two organisations have welcomed the UK Government’s announcement that there is currently no strategic case for a tidal power scheme for the Severn Estuary.
A Canadian scientist has suggested that the huge 2010 run of sockeye in the Fraser River is due to a plankton bloom caused by a 2008 volcanic eruption.
The Trust received the three awards in the space of a week for its conservation, education and communication work.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/eden-rivers-trust-scoops-three-awards-119.html
Several organisations have joined to form the Atlantic Coalition for Aquaculture Reform.
The Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation will open its fourth round of competition for funding today, with a total of $300,000 to be awarded for projects slated to begin in the spring of 2011.
AST communications consultant Fiona Cameron is in St John, New Brunswick, to attend the meeting which marks the culmination of over 5 years of the Dialogue.
'The Government has announced that it intends to publish a White paper on the natural environment in spring 2011.
Ecoceanos reports that thousands of kilos of dead salmon are being removed from salmon farms in the Chiloé area.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/another-crisis-hits-chilean-farmed-salmon-135.html
Ireland's Minister for Natural Resources, Conor Lenihan, has announced the start of a 30 day public consultation process on the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations for the 2011 season.
The Vancouver Sun reports that a new study shows closed containment salmon farming offers 'less potential for profit'.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/open-salmon-pens-more-profitable-137.html
American signal crayfish have been found in Glasgow's River Kelvin, one of the great successes of recent years in terms of reappearance of salmon.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/reborn-river-infested-by-alien-species-138.html
An article in the Independent outlines the latest theory on what's killing insects, including bees.
PHARMAQ and the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science have identified the virus causing cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) of Atlantic salmon.
Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper reports that scientists have identified the three most likely causes of last year's stock collapse.
Fishnews.eu reports that Scotland's area management system may be starting to unravel.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/scottish-area-management-agreement-collapses-126.html
It has long been agreed among wild fishery interests that we need credible ways to trace salmon and rainbow trout farm escapees back to their source.
A press release from the Sea Trout Group welcomes the 11th-hour addition of sea trout to a list of proposals for species to receive better protection.
The Nova Scotia government is strengthening efforts to fight the growing problem of introduced non-native fish species in the province's lakes and rivers.
Environmental NGO Ecoceanas reports that infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) has been found in the Magallanes region.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/isa-outbreak-in-new-region-of-chile-130.html
The native white-clawed crayfish appears to be doing well in the Eden valley and the invasive American signal crayfish and the disease it carries – crayfish plague - are still absent from the River Eden system.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/native-crayfish-doing-well-in-eden-valley-131.html
Wild fish organisations have accused the EU and the Scottish Government of a blunder in light of their failure to apply consistent policy on salmon conservation.
A fascinating article in the Irish Times reviews a new report on how eels, salmon and sea trout are faring in the Burrishoole system.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/climate-change-impacts-on-migratory-fish-133.html
Environment Agency Wales has launched a campaign to crack down on poaching.
The invasive species of alien shrimp identified in Rutland in September has now been found at two sites in Wales.
The Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) is studying the report by the independent scientific body COSEWIC that provides assessments pertaining to the state of health of wild Atlantic salmon populations throughout eastern Canada.
The two cases of 'salmon poisoning' have been confirmed in the last two to three weeks at Lake Davis in California.
Some stunning photos showing just how cold England's east coast is this week!
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/cold-cold-cold-143.html
The Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) is calling on government and the aquaculture industry to be more transparent in reporting escapes from salmon cages.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/major-salmon-farm-escapes-in-bay-of-fundy-144.html
A major investment in a state of the art closed containment smolt production facility in Shetland has been announced.
A type of fresh-water salmon listed by the Ministry of the Environment as being extinct, is living in Lake Saiko in Yamanashi Prefecture near Mount Fuji, according to researchers at the Kyoto University Museum.
The Herald newspaper reports that the tiny island of Canna, population 21, has voted against having a huge new fish farm off its shores.
The Vancouver Sun reports that the new scientific study conflicts with the conclusions of an earlier one.
The Scottish Government publishes a running total of fish farm escapes on its website.
CBC News reports that the US Chapter of Trout Unlimited is considering taking legal action if the Food & Drug Administration gives permission for production of GM farmed salmon.
The University of Bergen is to be the headquarters of an innovation centre for sea lice research.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/new-centre-for-sea-lice-research-152.html
The Atlantic Salmon Federation has announced that on 20th December the Penobscot River Restoration Trust became the owner of the Veazie, Great Works, and Howland dams on the Penobscot River, Maine.
The insect, discovered by Stuart Crofts, was found near a small stream flowing through woodland near Masham, North Yorkshire.
The Irish Specimen Fish Committee has released the statistics on specimen fish caught in Ireland during 2010.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/irish-specimen-fish-2010-155.html
Minister Lenihan approves regulations and bye-laws for management of the wild salmon fishery in 2011.
The BBC reports that cold weather has led to the deaths of thousands of salmon at a fish research centre at Bushmills, in north Antrim.
Ian Martin of County Tyrone caught the 11lbs 7oz salmon with his second or third cast at the Drowes Salmon Fishery between Kinlough and Bundoran, on 1st January.
138,000 juvenile fish have escaped from farms in the Bay of Fundy area.
Following reports of the death of around two million small fish in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, now another massive fish-kill has been reported in South Carolina.
According to press reports, electricity suppliers have lost millions in revenues as wind- and water-powered renewables schemes failed to deliver.
The Irish Minister of State for Fisheries, Sean Connick, has welcomed improved control of lice on salmon farms - but campaigners warn of poor regulation.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/sea-lice-control-will-remain-a-challenge-162.html
The S&TA has issued a press release in response to the announcement of a farmed salmon trade deal between Scotland and China.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmon-and-trout-association-press-release-163.html
The Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS) is seeking a highly motivated candidate having a PhD (or equivalent experience) in numerical ecology, marine biology or ecology.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/postdoctorate-position-sahfos-164.html
East and South Ayrshire Councils have joined a list of opposition groups which includes Ayrshire Rivers Trust.
The Environment Agency is appealing for help in this year's annual survey of fish stocks in the Tyne.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/anglers-play-crucial-role-in-research-166.html
Norwegian research organisation Nofima has announced a large-scale project to ensure that salmon farmers can access an adequate supply of wrasse.
'Hydro Power in England and Wales Addressing the Key Ecological Issues' takes place at SOAS, University of London.
Natural Enterprise has announced the cash from SITA Trust's Enhancing Nature programme.
Norway’s Institute of Marine Science reported that the data will play a major role in the development of salmon louse vaccine and chemical delousing treatment.
Legislation comes into force today that makes it an offence to kill any seal at any time, unless holding a specific licence or for animal welfare reasons to end suffering.
A £2.6 million project to protect the waterways of Ireland and Scotland from invasive plants such as giant hogweed has been launched today.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/invasive-plant-project-will-help-anglers-172.html
The Friends of Merrymeeting Bay and Environment Maine have filed lawsuits, naming the owners of several dams on the Kennebec River.
The AST's 2011 Fishing Auction is now in the final few days, and bidding is really heating up.
Beat the February blues with a weekend at the luxurious Arundell Arms Hotel in sunny Devon, and hear all about the AST's current and future projects.
European Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said that the growth of both fish and shellfish aquaculture is "a priority for the EU".
The petition to the Scottish Parliament lodged last year is to be added to the list of petitions held over for consideration by MSPs in the next Parliament.
The Government has announced that the application for PGI status, to which AST and others objected strongly, meets the relevant criteria, and will be submitted to the European Commission for final approval.
The ASF has a vacancy in its Research & Environment department, based at Chamcook, near St Andrews, New Brunswick.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/atlantic-salmon-federation-seeks-biologist-179.html
Starving bald eagles are gathering at rubbish dumps, after this year's chum salmon run failed.
The experiment is being carried out in a side channel of the Sacramento River, which is described as a 'death trap' for young Chinook salmon trying to migrate to San Francisco Bay.
Thousands of baby sea trout carrying freshwater pearl mussel larvae in their gills have been released into the Rivere Rede.
State officials are forecasting a 2011 harvest of 203 milion salmon of all species.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/alaska-set-for-bumper-salmon-returns-183.html
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Salmon & Trout Association have announced a new collaborative partnership to help the nation's rivers comply with the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
Salmon rod catches on the Scottish Borders river last year were the highest since records began in 1947.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/tweed-catches-reach-record-level-185.html
The conference, held on 19th March at the Natural History Museum, was hosted by the Salmon & Trout Association on behalf of the Riverfly Partnership.
The Environment Agency and CIWEM (The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management) held a conference on small-scale hydropower in England and Wales on 3 March.
Wild fisheries groups have launched a campaign aimed at maximising survival of salmon released after being caught.
The Environment Agency has secured its first conviction under the carcass tagging byelaws.
The IFI states in a press release that the recommendations for improved pest control are insufficient to protect wild salmon and sea trout.
This week's anual RAFTS conference heard that progress is being made in combatting invasive non-native species all over Scotland - but that it will take decades to eradicate some species.
Marine Scotland scientist Eric Verspoor told this week's RAFTS conference that our understanding of salmon populations has been greatly increased by recent advances in science.
It's believed that around 100,000 salmon were caught on the rod across Scotland in 2010.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/scottish-salmon-catches-reach-record-level-193.html
This week, AST Chief Executive Tony Andrews attended The Celtic Sea Trout Project launch in Dumfries.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/sea-trout-the-forgotten-species-194.html
The document pulls together information obtained under Freedom of Information by the solicitor to the Salmon & Trout Association's aquaculture campaign.
The UK government is to spend an extra £110 million on restoring rivers in England over the next 4 years.
Scientists from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Pacfic Salmon Commission are predicting bad news for fishermen.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/canada-fears-poor-king-and-sockeye-returns-197.html
The pledge reads: ‘If elected, I pledge to work towards the protection of our iconic wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout and the habitats on which they depend.’
The BBC reports that the fish was caught on the Tay at Murthly, by novice salmon angler Andrew McAdam.
The event takes place in Aberdeen on 14th May.
The Atlantic salmon of Sebago Lake, one of the handful of populations which remains landlocked, has taken a severe hit in recent years.
AST and the Salmon & Trout Association have written to the UK Fisheries Minister calling for action on net fisheries on the North East coast.
The final draft of WWF's proposed standard for sustainably-farmed salmon is now published, and available for comment until 14th June.
The call comes in the latest Environmental Review published by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development).
The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Pat Rabbitte T.D., has announced plans to re-open licensed commercial fishing in Castlemaine Harbour, following receipt of the results of the pilot fishery undertaken there in 2010.
Orri Vigfusson of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund, who has campaigned tirelessly to end mixed stocks netting of salmon, has written to Pat Rabbitte, Ireland's Minister for Energy, Communications & Natural Resources.
As NASCO members prepare to travel to Greenland for a meeting, the ASF is warning that large Atlantic salmon could face additional, catastrophic fishing pressure.
The AST, along with five other fisheries and angling organisations, has written to the UK and Scottish fisheries ministers in advance of this year's NASCO meeting, which this year takes place at Ilulissat, Greenland, from 4 to 6 June.
The statistics come from the provisional 2010 rod and net catches, released by the Environment Agency and Cefas.
The low levels in many rivers, particularly in England, are threatening to drastically cut the numbers of trout and salmon for years to come.
The theme for World Oceans Day 2011 is "Our oceans: greening our future."
At last week's NASCO meeting in Ilulissat, Greenland, the Greenland Government agreed to maintain its commercial salmon fishery quota at zero for another year.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/oneyear-reprieve-for-greenland-salmon-212.html
A major study of grilse has found that the average grilse has shrunk by a third in weight and a tenth in size over the past 17 years.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/scottish-salmon-getting-smaller-213.html
The Miramichi is one of four Canadian rivers chosen for a study on the value of wild Atlantic salmon.
A County Donegal angler has landed the largest sea trout caught at sea in the area.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/11lb-sea-trout-caught-off-irish-coast-214.html
The newsinenglish.no website states that a new report from Norway's state food authority indicates that sea lice levels on wild salmonids rose 'dramatically' over the past year.
Police have issued a warning to Western Isles restaurants about the law regarding the sale of wild salmon.
At present, the Crown Estate has control over the seabed around Scotland, and grants leases for such uses as aquaculture and development of offshore renewable energy.
The AST has sent a letter to the Russian Duma in an effort to influence the forthcoming debate on whether all Russia's rivers and lakes should provide free and unregulated access for anglers.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmon-conservation-in-russia-219.html
Today sees the launch of an ambitious programme to safeguard the future of the sea trout of England's south coast.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/launch-of-south-coast-sea-trout-action-plan-220.html
A new analysis by the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS) of official catch statistics claims to demonstrate that wild salmon catches in the salmon farming areas of the West Highlands and Islands have declined significantly.
The Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) and the Conservation Fund are partnering on a pilot research project to grow farmed Atlantic salmon in a freshwater closed-containment system.
This scientific breakthrough is being hailed as a tool which may help preserve dwindling populations.
In recent days, there have been reports of unusual marine animals in British seas.
The AST held a workshop at Plas Menai, Bangor, in February 2011, to look at our current knowledge of sea trout, and to identify priorities in management of these fish.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/sea-trout-workshop-report-published-229.html
This is the second time that Mr Vigfusson, who heads the North Atlantic Salmon Fund, has written to Erik Solheim about the escapes in the Trondheimsford region.
The action is an appeal against the Nova Scotia government's decision to allow creation of a very large salmon farm, amid rich lobster fishing grounds.
For too long, the famous salmon - the 'fish that never swam' - on Glasgow's coat of arms was just that: a non-existent fish.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/glasgows-coat-of-arms-no-longer-out-of-date-227.html
The shocking statistic comes from a new report.
Two large oxygen cylinders have been placed in the river as part of a £1 million project to improve water quality.
The River Tweed News has reported the catching of a male Pink Salmon on the Tweed on August 2nd.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/pacific-salmon-caught-in-tweed-232.html
The paper, to be published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, contradicts the findings of a study published last year.
The Heritage Lottery Fund money is being spent on giving salmon and sea trout access to the rivers Brun and Calder.
Despite years of damage to rivers from acid rain, volunteers have managed to turn around resultant declines in salmonid populations.
The new report, by Stanford University researchers, is published in the October issue of Environment magazine.
The compensation - amount undisclosed - was given to three Cumbrian clubs after chemicals leaked into the River Ellen, near Maryport, in 2008.
A new study which looked at the genetic make-up of Atlantic salmon in northern Spain has found signs that genetic diversity has been reduced.
The Environment Agency reports that salmon from as far away as Scotland and northern France have colonised the River Mersey, in NW England.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/scottish-salmon-found-in-mersey-239.html
The Our Rivers campaign has set out its 'blacklist' of ten rivers where environmental problems have not been treated properly.
The Marine Institute has released the 2nd edition of the North Western Waters Atlas, showing the key biological features of the waters around Ireland.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/new-marine-atlas-published-241.html
New research from Swansea University shows that salmon can sense predatory mammals which have eaten salmon before.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmon-can-sniff-out-242.html
David Marmorek, an expert on aquatic ecology and simulation modeling, has analysed all the technical evidence put before the Commission.
The authors studied salmon captured in the Thames over several years in the last decade.
We've received some additional information from the authors of the study we featured on 11th Sept, so are re-running this item
An article published on the Scientific American website provides a fascinating insight into our knowledge on what sea lice treatments can do to lobsters.
After a century of absence, wild Atantic salmon are once again being found in the Tolka River in Dublin.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmon-return-to-all-three-dublin-rivers-247.html
The Irish Times reports that the salmon is one of six native Irish fish species which have been classified as 'vulnerable.'
AST's Research Director featured on this morning's 'Good Morning Scotland' programme, speaking about mortality of salmon at sea.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ken-whelan-interviewed-on-bbc-radio-scotland-249.html
AST's Chairman, Chief Executive and Research Director joined scientists from more than nine countries for this week's Salmon Summit in La Rochelle.
NASCO has said that last week's 'Salmon Summit', held in La Rochelle, was a great success - but the meeting highlighted severe problems.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmon-summit-a-great-success-251.html
This is the conclusion of a study in which scientists analysed data on 500 organic substances in the basins of four major European rivers.
Reports indicate that the virus was found in two out of a sample of 48 sockeye salmon tested.
Two Canadian Ministers have issued a statement saying that the presence of ISA in wild salmon in British Columbia has yet to be verified.
This was the AST Chief Executive's message to the Teign Association's AGM last week.
The project is designed to see salmon, sea trout and eels return to the river for the first time since the 18th century.
A US cameraman has filmed salmon trying to cross a flooded road in Mason County, Washington.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/a-new-take-on-the-traditional-salmon-leap-257.html
Controversy continues over whether or not ISA has been found in wild Pacific salmon in British Columbia.
Two hundred fish have been stuck in the river Teme at Ludlow, Shropshire for three weeks, with another 800 on their way.
A new study indicates that the fish are migrating earlier, in response to rising water temperatures.
The AST, together with the S&TA, has responded to the Environment Agency's informal consultation on a renewal of the North-East Coast Net Limitation Order (NLO).
Thames Water has launched a local river protection campaign in a bid to encourage people to save water - as it prepares for a possible drought next summer.
A new study has found evidence of potentially harmful effects of acidification on commercial species such as cod.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ocean-acidification-impacting-on-cod-larvae-263.html
The Angling Trust is warning that a privately funded barrage across the Severn Estuary could destroy some local freshwater and marine fish populations and have a massive impact on angling nationally.
The Salmon & Trout Association is questioning the UK Government's commitment in key areas.
In the wake of severe gales which lashed the British Isles and Scandinavia over the past few days, there are reports of fish farm escapes and cages adrift.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/gales-cause-fish-farm-escapes-266.html
A Scottish Government spotter plane has tracked down the 12 salmon cages missing from a Shetland fish farm for the past 2 weeks.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/drifting-shetland-salmon-cages-traced-267.html
Efforts to retrieve the 12 salmon cages drifting 60 miles out to sea off Shetland are being hampered by the weather.
The concerns have been raised by Watershed Watch Salmon Society, SkeenaWild Conservation Trust and Raincoast Conservation Foundation.
The Atlantic Salmon Federation has published a new report into the economic value of salmon.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/atlantic-salmon-worth-255m-to-e-canada-270.html
Scientists at the University of Oviedo in Spain have developed a new method for tagging and identifying fish by chemical means.
As the Celtic Sea Trout Project enters its final year, the organisers are calling for ongoing help with scale collection.
US consumer groups have petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to subject a genetically engineered version of the Atlantic salmon to a more rigorous review process before it is deemed safe to eat.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have used Google Earth's satellite images to estimate the amount of fish being farmed in the Mediterranean.
Marine Harvest Norway has signed the letter of intent for a demonstration site using AgriMarine's technlogy.
The AST, together with five other fisheries organisations, has written to Richard Benyon urging the Government to close net fisheries that exploit salmon and sea trout from more than one river (mixed stock fisheries).
The Russian government has written to the Norwegian authorities urging them to better regulate salmon nets in Finnmark.
Researchers analysed the survival of salmon smolts after pre-treatment with an anti-sea lice chemical.
Northern Ireland's Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (DCAL) is reported to have announced that it cannot legally issue licences to net salmon this year due to the perilous status of the salmon population.
The results of a genetic investigation into the origins of salmon caught in the north east England net fishery have been published. This confirms the mixed stock nature of these fisheries.
The Wild Trout Trust, which is one of the AST's partners in the SCSTAP, is looking for a conservation officer.
The marking may take the form of fin-clipping, freeze-branding or colour-marking.
AST, along with five other fisheries and angling organisations, has responded to Defra's consulation paper on expansion of fish farming in England.
The factsheet is published by the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards (ASFB) and the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS).
The report was initiated by inhabitants of Donegal's offshore islands, and carried out by the Department of Development and Planning at Aalborg University in Denmark
The Peterborough Today website reports that fish, including sea trout, are being moved from the Maxey Cut to the River Welland.
Minister for Natural Resources, Fergus O’Dowd TD has confirmed that there is no proposal for the extension of the salmon draft netting (estuary nets) season.
Agrimarine has announced the first successful harvest from its demonstration site in British Columbia.
The work was carried out by the Centre for Research-Based Innovation in Aquaculture Technology at SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture, the University of Melbourne, Australia, and the Fish Welfare Group of the Institute of Marine Research.
According to campaign group Eat Real Food International, the fish is not clearly labelled as GM.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/gm-salmon-goes-on-sale-in-us-supermarkets-290.html
AST has joined others in backing a letter sent to Southern Water by the Angling Trust.
International marine conservation organisattion Oceana has released a report on the state of fisheries management in the Baltic.
The report, 'Guidelines for stocking of fish within designated natural heritage sites', was commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
The Environment Agency has launched a consultation on a proposed new Net Limitation Order for the English North East Coast net fisheries.
Fishfarmer magazine reports that EU Fisheries minister Maria Damanaki has told the EU Aquaculture sector that it is essential to identify the main hurdles and bottlenecks that prevent it from flourishing.
This is the first time in nine years that the virus has been confirmed in Atlantic salmon farmed in British Columbia.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ihn-virus-confirmed-in-bc-farmed-salmon-296.html
It's reported that ASDA is selling whole, frozen wild Alaskan salmon for £2 each.
Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson has confirmed that new legislation on aquaculture and freshwater fisheries will be introduced in autumn 2012.
The Canadian media report that the long-standing relationship between the world's largest salmon farming company and a coalition of environmental groups has ended.
State Secretary Kristine Gramstad made the comment in her address to the 9th International Sea Lice Conference in Bergen last week.
Canadian media report that a third salmon farm in British Columbia has been quarantined because of IHN.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ihn-outbreak-spreads-in-bc-301.html
NASCO (the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation) meets in Edinburgh this week, and AST is one of the 35 NGOs attending.
The Penobscot River Restoration Trust and its partners are working to undo more than two centuries of damage that too many dams have inflicted on the river.
Researchers at the University of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands are designing the program.
The BBC reports that UDN (Ulcerative Dermal Necrosis) has been detected in a fish on one of Scotland's premier salmon rivers.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/udn-found-in-spey-salmon-305.html
The Atlantic Salmon Trust has a very firm policy on mixed stocks coastal netting: such fisheries should be phased out as soon as possible.
The Standard is the outcome of the Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue.
AST has joined ten other angling, fisheries, shooting and countryside organisations in calling for simplification of the management of cormorants and goosanders.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/call-for-control-of-piscivorous-birds-310.html
The Greenland Government has announced its decision to restrict its national salmon catch to subsistence levels for a further three years. NGOs attending last week'
AST directors have hosted the inaugural meeting of the AST's London Chapter.
Ministers gave their approval last week to a new byelaw which states that all Wye-caught salmon must be returned.
This follows developmen of new biodiversity targets at UN and EU level.
Don Staniford obtained the information on losses of farmed salmon from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Scientists say that this is yet anoher indication of warmer ocean temperatures.
The BBC reports that the Environment Agency seized the nets after getting a tip-off from a member of the public.
An article published by Fishfarmingexpert.com quotes Professor John McClatchey of Thurso's Environmental Research Institute.
A genetic study has shown that the nets are killing a large number of Scottish salmon.
It's the first tine that melanomas have been detected in fish in the area, though it's a well-known risk for humans.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/skin-cancer-hits-fish-on-great-barrier-reef-319.html
The Salmon and Trout Association has published an analysis of data obtained under Freedom of Information.
The Scottish Government has published the salmon and sea trout catch statistics for 2011.
The Salmon & Trout Association has lodged a formal complaint to the European Commission over failure fo comply with the Habitats Directive in respect of the River Avon SAC.
These streams can make a substantial but less-well-studied contribution to breeding habitat and thus to trout and sea trout populations.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/small-streams-workshop-323.html
As reported in yesterday's Sunday Times Professor Ken Whelan has had a most useful meeting with the EU Pelagic Regional Advisory Council.
AST's Director of Research will speak on 'The Life of Salmon at Sea - Implications for Management'
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ken-whelan-to-give-talk-at-irish-fly-fair-325.html
The investment reflects the government's acknowledgement of the importance of a better understanding of the three oceans along its coasts.
The new unit, at Lochailort, is being built by Marine Harvest, and is due to be completed next year.
The Atlantic Salmon Federation operates counting facilities in many areas across Newfoundland and Labrador.
Eden Rivers Trust has received initial support from the HLF for a project to encourage local people and visitors to enjoy, cherish and defend the river.
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust has organised a talk on reversing the decline of salmon in the Wye.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/salmon-fishing-on-the-wye-330.html
Russia's Security Council will lodge a complaint over salmon netting in Finnmark.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/russia-escalates-salmon-dispute-with-norway-331.html
The study is published today in the biological research journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The AST and its partners are holding a workshop on the importance of small streams later this month.
A consultation has been launched by Paul Wheelhouse, Scottish Government Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, today.
Major conference on stocking to be held in Glasgow.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/a-date-for-your-diary-27-28-november-2013-335.html
The concerns relate mainly to sea lice, in the wake of the recent Royal Society B paper.
The document represents AST's comments on the Aquaculture & Fisheries Bill presented to the Parliament in October.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ast-sends-evidence-to-scottish-parliament-337.html
The European Parliament has adopted a multiannual plan for salmon in the Baltic Sea, which applies stricter control and enforcement measures.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/baltic-salmon-gets-management-plan-at-last-338.html
The Salmon & Trout Association (S&TA) and the Carmarthenshire Rivers Trust (CRT) are delighted with the withdrawal of the Bryn Brawd forestry proposals.
Worldfishing.net reports that Finnjish authorities have banned all wild sea trout fisheries in the Gulf of Finland.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/finland-bans-wild-sea-trout-fisheries-340.html
A major new research collaboration by British and French scientists will see pooling of expertise, resources and 30 years of data to maximise current international research efforts.
AST's Director of Research has given evidence to the Rural Affairs, Climate Change & Environment Committee of the Scottish Parliament.
The Irish Times reports that multiple interest groups are rallying to the call to oppose the 15,000 tonne farm proposed for Galway Bay.
On Monday the AST held a reception at the offices of JO Hambro in St James's Square, London. The London Chapter is a fast developing supporter group of AST: its purpose is to establish a London based group for advocacy, communications and fund raising for the Trust.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/second-meeting-of-asts-london-chapter.html
The Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST) and the Salmon & Trout Association (S&TA) have welcomed the Government’s decision to close the salmon drift net fishery off the coasts of Northumbria and Yorkshire in 2022, 30 years after the phasing out of this fishery started.
The disease has been found on a Cooke Aquaculture farm at Pot Harbour.
The Undercurrent News website reports that a farm belonging to Marine Harvest had levlels of more than 44 lice per fish.
Viral Haemmorrhagic Septicaemia has been confirmed in wrasse held in tanks at the North Atlantic Fisheries College.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/vhs-outbreak-in-shetland.html
Last week the AST team were in Brussels to meet officials in DG Mare – the department responsible for European seas – and DG Environment – the department responsible for environment, habitats and biodiversity in the European Union.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/ast-at-the-european-commission.html
The Salmon & Trout Association (S&TA) has today urged the Environment Agency to keep its robust stance over two issues impacting Hampshire's chalkstreams.
A new Salmon and Trout Association (S&TA) report into the RSPCA / Freedom Food certification of Scottish farmed salmon details major concerns.
For a long time, scientists have recognized that salmon stocks vary not only year to year, but also on decades-long time cycles. The new study indicates that the decadal cycles may overlay even more important, centuries-long conditions that influence fish productivity. The authors found cycles lasting up to 200 years while examining 500-year records of salmon abundance in Southwest Alaska.
The study, by Marine Scotland scientists, looks at dispersal of L. salmonis in Loch Linnhe, Scotland.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/new-sea-lice-dispersal-study.html
The research looked at the impacts of Diflubenzuron and Teflubenzuron. The work was carried out by the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and the National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES). They looked at the spread and impact of sea lice treatments widely used on salmon farms. The new findings show higher concentrations in wild fish, crustaceans, sediments and fauna than was discovered in an earlier study in 2011.
The sale ban applies to: water fern; parrot's feather; floating pennywort; water primrose and Australian swamp stonecrop.
It's being reported that the Canadian government is abandoning the idea that farmed fish infected with ISA should be destroyed.
AST has co-operated with the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards in producing the following statement: Sea lice infestation as a source of marine mortality of outwardly migrating Atlantic salmon smolts has been investigated by treating groups of ranched salmon, prior to release, with a prophylactic sea lice treatment. This research was recently published in the Journal of Fish Diseases. The results of this study have been interpreted, by some, as suggesting that sea lice released from fish farms do not harm wild fish. However, fish were released from 8 different rivers, many of which were not in the areas of Ireland where fish farming takes place or where the density of farms was low.
This is extremely bad news for the endangered native white-clawed crayfish whose best stronghold in Britain is in the Eden Valley.
A news release from Inland Fisheries Ireland, in response to the recently-published study by scientists at Ireland's Marine Institute, says wild salmon survival hangs in the balance.
Marine Harvest has said it expects costs of treating sea lice to remain similar in 2013.
The report comes from researchers working on the SECURE project (Securing fish – farming technology and operations to reduce escapes)
The study was carried out in Norway using data from 1997 to 2009, in salmon farming areas.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/new-sea-lice-study-359.html
The Wild Trout Trust's annual auction is live on e-bay from 5th-14th March 2013. This is WTT's major fundraising event of the year, securing funds that will drive conservation of our rivers and their wild trout. Bidders have an excellent chance of claiming some outstanding fishing, as well as tackle, books, angling art and shooting, with lots to suit most pockets, in many parts of the British Isles and beyond as far afield as Argentina, the Bahamas and Chile. The auction can be accessed through the WTT's website
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/wild-trout-trust-annual-auction.html
Tony Andrews, AST’s Chief Executive reports: “The arrival on the Fisheries scene of the new NGO charity, the Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust (SIFT) is an important development at a time when our coastal waters are under increasing threats from infrastructure projects and damaging impacts of different forms of marine based aquaculture, especially open-cage salmon farming.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/arrival-of-new-ngo-charity-sift.html
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/latest-news/geophysical-cycles-affect-salmon-at-sea.html
Do all Atlantic salmon migrate to sea?
What is a grilse?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-is-a-grilse.html
How big can a salmon grow?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/how-big-can-a-salmon-grow.html
What do sea trout eat?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-do-sea-trout-eat.html
What is a salmon smolt?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-is-a-salmon-smolt.html
What is osmoregulation?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-is-osmoregulation.html
What is the largest Atlantic salmon ever recorded?
How have salmon stocks changed over the years?
What other problems affect salmon stocks?
Can anything be done to counter the problems caused by the growth of salmon farming?
Is the growth of salmon farming significant for wild salmon and sea trout stocks?
Are wild salmon attacked by diseases or parasites?
What do salmon feed on in the sea
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-do-salmon-feed-on-in-the-sea.html
What do parr feed on when they are in fresh water?
Do salmon feed in fresh water?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/do-salmon-feed-in-fresh-water.html
What influences the upstream movement of salmon in a river?
How high can a salmon jump?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/how-high-can-a-salmon-jump.html
What are the salmon's natural enemies?
How long do salmon stay at sea?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/how-long-do-salmon-stay-at-sea.html
What are grilse?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-are-grilse.html
Where do smolts go?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/where-do-smolts-go.html
When do salmon leave the river?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/when-do-salmon-leave-the-river.html
How long do young Atlantic salmon stay in the river before migrating to sea?
When do the salmon's eggs hatch?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/when-do-the-salmons-eggs-hatch.html
Where are the salmon's eggs deposited?
How many eggs does an Atlantic salmon deposit?
Do all salmon die after spawning?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/do-all-salmon-die-after-spawning.html
When do salmon spawn?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/when-do-salmon-spawn.html
Can male and female salmon easily be identified?
Do salmon always return to their own river?
How do salmon navigate?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/how-do-salmon-navigate.html
Do Atlantic salmon have a world-wide distribution?
How big can salmon grow?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/how-big-can-salmon-grow.html
Do all Atlantic salmon go to sea?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/do-all-atlantic-salmon-go-to-sea.html
Is there just one species of salmon?
What does anadromous mean?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-does-anadromous-mean.html
What is an Atlantic Salmon?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-is-an-atlantic-salmon.html
What should fishermen look out for particularly in connection with any salmon or sea trout they catch?
How do you tell the difference between Salmon and Sea Trout?
What is the difference between a salmon parr, salmon smolt and a young trout?
How does one know the age of a salmon?
How can salmon be recognised at the different stages of their life in fresh water?
What else can be done to address the decline of sea trout stocks?
Is stocking an answer to declining sea trout stocks?
What are the main causes of the wider declines in sea trout stocks?
Are stocks of sea trout, well away from the influence of salmon culture, also declining?
Why and where are sea lice believed to be serious parasites of sea trout?
Are sea trout stocks prone to diseases and parasites?
What are the main predators of sea trout?
What do sea trout feed upon at sea?
How is the age of a sea trout determined?
Do we need to protect sea trout kelts?
When do the sea trout kelts return to the sea?
What do you call a sea trout that has spawned?
How many eggs do sea trout produce?
Where do sea trout they spawn?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/where-do-sea-trout-they-spawn.html
When do sea trout come up our rivers?
What is the most common age of sea trout at first spawning?
How big can sea trout grow?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/how-big-can-sea-trout-grow.html
What is a finnock?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-is-a-finnock.html
Do all sea trout undergo smolting?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/do-all-sea-trout-undergo-smolting.html
Why are some rivers good for sea trout while others are not?
Is there evidence that environmental changes may influence the ratio of sea trout to brown trout under natural conditions?
What factors influence which young trout become smolts and migrate to sea?
Are sea trout mainly female fish?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/are-sea-trout-mainly-female-fish.html
Are sea trout inclined to stray?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/are-sea-trout-inclined-to-stray.html
How can we tell sea trout and brown trout apart?
How closely do sea trout relate to brown trout which remain in fresh water?
How far do sea trout migrate in saltwater?
What is a sea trout?
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/salmon-and-sea-trout-facts/what-is-a-sea-trout.html
How can sea trout be recognised at different stages of their life?
Stainforce Foss or Force is a beautiful small, natural waterfall on the River Ribble situated just west of the village of Stainforth. The waterfall begins as a series of small cascades followed by a final slightly larger one of approximately 4 feet.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/where-to-see-salmon/stainforth-foss-river-ribble.html
A highly accessible and deservedly popular Welsh salmon viewing site on the river Teifi at Cenarth Falls. The Falls are easily viewable from the adjacent car park, and there's even a disabled footpath to a viewing platform.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/where-to-see-salmon/cenarth-falls-ceredigion-river-teifi.html
The broken weir at Larbert on the River Carron gives good salmon viewing opportunities for a few weeks in September.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/where-to-see-salmon/larbert-weir-stirlingshire-river-carron.html
An outstanding beauty spot where herons nest in summer and fish leap upstream to the Sperrins.
Stunning scenery right on the Highland Boundary Fault. The romantically named Rocks of Solitude is a narrow gorge through which the river North Esk plunges in impressive waterfalls.
Hexham weir on the river Tyne is a great salmon viewing spot.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/where-to-see-salmon/hexham-weir-northumberland-river-tyne.html
The River Shin flows into one of the great salmon rivers of the Highlands, the River Oykel. Situated midway between Bonar Bridge and Lairg in Achany Glen is the Falls of Shin Visitor Centre.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/where-to-see-salmon/falls-of-shin-sutherland-river-shin.html
The Falls of Feugh are a short walk from the centre of Banchory. The footbridge is a popular place for spotting salmon leaping.
The Salmon Viewing Centre on the Philiphaugh Estate, near Selkirk, is a visitor attraction where salmon can be seen making their way over a weir on the Ettrick Water. Members of the public can witness the epic migration of the salmon in their natural habitat - both above and below the water's surface - thanks to live video links from underwater cameras sited in the river.
The deepest gorge in the South West, with spectacular 30m waterfall. This lush oak-wooded steep-sided river gorge (the deepest in the South West), with its natural beauty, fascinating history and many legends, can be explored through a variety of exhilarating short or long walks.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/where-to-see-salmon/lydford-gorge-devon-river-lyd.html
One of the most popular beauty spots in Perthshire, The Hermitage is an outstanding grove of giant trees beside the waterfalls, rapids and swirling pools of the River Braan. The Hermitage is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
Pitlochry is one of Scotland's more well-known salmon watching centres, due to the famous hydro-electric dam and salmon ladder that receives an estimated half a million visitors each year. The salmon ladder is more than 300 metres in length and consists of 34 chambers, which allow more than 5,000 fish to progress upstream to Loch Faskally and beyond.
The Braeloine Visitor Centre on the Glen Tanar Estate is fully equipped with visitor facilities, car parking and a full-time ranger service. The rangers can provide specific advice on the best spots to watch salmon. Timing is vital - the fish tend to be more active in the early morning and evening, especially after a spell of heavy rain (when the river levels tend to rise).
The Spout is a dramatic pothole and powerful waterfall on the River Almond and is probably the best site in Perthshire for enjoying the spectacle of leaping wild Atlantic salmon. In the late autumn the salmon fight their way up through the gushing torrents, determinedly pressing on to reach their spawning grounds upstream. You can get closer to leaping salmon here than at any other site in the area however caution is required on the rocks near to the waterfall.
The Linn of Tummel is where the Rivers Garry and Tummel meet. It features a series of picturesque rocky rapids in a beautiful setting. There are good views of the falls and salmon action from the river bank. Part of the surrounding area is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and, as well as Atlantic salmon, the area is home to otter, pine marten and red squirrel.
The River Ericht runs close to the centre of the village of Blairgowrie. The route along the riverbank passes through pleasant mixed woodland to the Falls of Ericht, a narrow stretch of the river that incorporates Donald Cargill's leap - site of a daring getaway feat by a 17th century Covenanter. Cargill's Leap is popular with wild salmon in the autumn.
It is sad to report that one of our supporters (Simon James) died earlier this year having purchased via the AST auction a place at Scotland's leading www.salmonschool.co.uk in early November.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/blog/the-annan-fishing-school.html
"Help us to learn more about the lives of salmon at sea", Atlantic Salmon Trust asks EU pelagic fishermen
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/blog/how-can-we-increase-numbers-of-returning-salmon.html
Melfort Campbell and Tony Andrews, AST’s Chairman and CEO, are in New Brunswick, discussing alternative ways of farming salmon to the destructive and unsustainable open cage method currently used in Scotland and Canada. We will be reporting on the outcome of their discussion in the next few days.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/blog/conversations-in-new-brunswick.html
Melfort Campbell, AST Chairman, and Tony Andrews, CEO, were in Canada last week taking part in this workshop. They also took the opportunity to discuss with Rick Warren, US co-chair of ASF, Michael Meighen, his Canadian counterpart, and Bill Taylor, ASF’s CEO, how the two charities, ASF and AST, can develop joint projects and concerted efforts to resolve threats to survival of wild Atlantic salmon on both sides of the Ocean.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/blog/reducing-damage-to-wild-salmon-and-sea-trout.html
The decision by the Westminster Government to end drift netting for salmon and sea trout by 2022, and to phase out all T & J nets that are exploiting salmon from unknown rivers of origin, where populations within those stocks may be below conservation levels, puts pressure on the Scottish Government to do likewise.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/blog/mixed-stocks-the-beginning-of-the-end.html
People have asked me recently, “What do you think is the actual state of wild Atlantic salmon stocks?”
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/blog/end-of-year-review-2012.html
While there is no quick fix to the problems of open-cage salmon farming we think that alternative technologies are the way forward. Ultimately, as Andrew Robertson points out in the Scotland on Sunday article, it will be the retailers and consumers that decide what is acceptable.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/blog/ast-and-aquaculture.html
Last week the AST team were in Brussels to meet officials in DG Mare – the department responsible for European seas – and DG Environment – the department responsible for environment, habitats and biodiversity in the European Union.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/blog/ast-at-the-european-commission.html
The speed of development of the Close Containment argument is most encouraging.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/blog/close-containment-the-plot-thickens.html
AST and its partners are organising a major conference on stocking, to be held in November 2013.
http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/events/stocking-conference.html
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