While salmon might not grab the headlines like beavers or otters do, they are nevertheless an important flagship species for Scotland. A species that is in crisis. These iconic fish spend time in both rivers and at sea, as far away as the west coast of Greenland, amazingly returning to the same river where they were born. When they make their way back to their rivers to spawn, one of nature’s greatest events can be witnessed – the salmon run. In Scotland, the salmon run occurs throughout the year, while some rivers are famous for their seasonal runs. In spring, visitors can head to River Dee to witness the iconic run, for example, while River Tweed hosts it around summer and autumn.

As one of Scotland’s oldest indigenous species, the Atlantic salmon is a quintessential British fish and a key part of the country’s history, culture and identity. Many local economies are still dependent on their return each year to Scotland’s vast river network up and down the UK. Lindsay Wrapson who works with the Missing Salmon Alliance, a collective of UK conservation organisations (Atlantic Salmon Trust, Angling Trust, The Rivers Trust, Fisheries Management Scotland and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust) seeking to explore the reasons behind the sharp decline of the species in Atlantic waters, says: “Salmon represent the global health of our rivers, oceans and ultimately our relationship with the natural world that sustains all human activity.”

By looking at the numbers and figures, the reality of wild Atlantic salmon populations quickly becomes evident. Stocks have plummeted by 80% in 25 years and researchers predict that wild salmon will become extinct in many areas of the world over the next 30 years if the current trend continues. According to the Missing Salmon Alliance, the “number of salmon returning to their spawning grounds has fallen dramatically since the 1970s and wild Atlantic salmon could be lost from many of our rivers within our lifetime if we do not act now”.

Wrapson adds: “Since the 1970’s, based on the abundance of adults returning to coastal waters, large salmon have declined by between 54 to 88% whilst smaller salmon (grilse) have declined between 40 to 66%.” While the species faces numerous pressures throughout their lives in freshwater as well as the marine environment, the Missing Salmon Alliance currently seeks to find out the reasons behind this sharp decline.