Salmon fishing - proposed river gradings for the 2026 season: consultation analysis

5. Scottish Government response

5.1 Response to respondents’ views on the proposed river gradings for the 2025 salmon fishing season

To protect vulnerable spring sub-stocks, statutory conservation measures were introduced in 2015 to ensure that no salmon is taken in Scotland before 1 April each year. This is achieved through The Conservation of Salmon (Annual Close Time and Catch and Release) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 and The Tweed Regulation Amendment Order 2015.

In 2016 the spring measures were supplemented by the Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016. Under these regulations, the killing of Atlantic salmon in inland waters during the rest of the year is managed on an annual basis by categorising the conservation status of their stocks.

The views given on the proposed river gradings have been used to inform the process of finalising the gradings for the 2026 salmon fishing season. These will be used in the annual amendment to The Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016 that regulates:

• prohibition of retention of salmon caught in coastal waters
• permission for the killing of salmon in inland waters where stocks are above a defined conservation limit, such as rivers in good or moderate conservation status; and
• the mandatory catch and release of salmon in areas which are below their defined conservation limit and assigned poor conservation status.

Respondents who commented that the proposed grade for a specific river was incorrect and provided evidence for a change of grade, were contacted to discuss these matters further. Once a review of the evidence provided has been completed, the regulations will be brought forward for amendment subject to parliamentary approval. After this process has concluded, the finalised river gradings will also be published on the Scottish Government website.

A number of issues were raised by respondents on the assessment methods used to assess the status of stocks and assign the proposed river gradings. The methodology used is the best currently available, is aligned with international best practice and has been developed over a number of years by the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate. The basic methodology is the same as previous years.

The Marine Directorate is continuing to improve the data used in the modelling by, for example, supporting fish counter developments. The stock assessment methods themselves are also being updated to incorporate additional information. The inclusion of fishing effort in the assessment process is being investigated. However, rod fisheries have only collected effort data since 2019, and more time is required in order to produce and consult on these new methods.

5.2 Views provided on impacts of the proposed gradings on respondents

All rivers that are in poor conservation status, and as such have a less than 60% chance of meeting their conservation limit, are subject to mandatory catch and release through the Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016. This means that all salmon, regardless of how they are caught, must be returned to the river with least possible harm. This does not stop anyone from taking part in fishing activities, providing they operate within the regulations and local conditions as stated on permits or permissions.

We recognise that a small number of respondents expressed concerns with their area or areas of interest falling a grade in this years’ assessment. The detailed information provided each year as part of the annual assessment and consultation process, highlights which assessment areas may be heading towards lower grades.

For those respondents who were concerned about a river decreasing from good conservation status to moderate conservation status, it is important to note that only rivers which are in poor conservation status are subject to mandatory catch and release. The precautionary downgrading of a river or assessment area to moderate conservation status does not alter the role of fisheries managers in setting local restrictions in relation to the encouragement of voluntary catch and release of salmon.

Moderate conservation status was introduced to highlight those areas which were in danger of declining into poor conservation status such that voluntary measures would need to be replaced by mandatory catch and release. It therefore acts as a reminder that local action, such as increased catch and release, habitat restoration etc, is required in order to try and prevent deterioration of the salmon stocks.

We are aware that some respondents had expressed concerns with their area or areas of interest rising a grade in this years’ assessment. These were largely linked to those who were wishing to be cautious with an increase in the chances of salmon reaching their conservation limit. Many stated that the impact of moving to a moderate conservation status, which would allow for retention of salmon although voluntary catch and release could still be encouraged, would have a detrimental impact on their local conservation efforts.

5.3 Response to respondents’ views on other actions to protect and restore wild salmon populations

The views expressed by respondents are outlined under section 3.4.

The Conservation of Salmon Regulations annual assessment and consultation process is part of action 2.1 as set out in the Wild Salmon Strategy and Implementation Plan. However, the consultation and subsequent amendment regulations are a statutory process based on updated assessments which determine the conservation status of rivers for the following salmon fishing season and protect salmon populations where they are most vulnerable. Areas in poor conservation status are subject to mandatory catch and release of any salmon however, this does not stop anyone from exercising their rights to fish providing they have attained the appropriate permission or permit and follow all relevant legislation when fishing.

Scottish Ministers are clear that Atlantic salmon may only be retained in those inland waters where the status of salmon is assessed as being healthy over an extended period. Even then, it remains our strong recommendation that anglers should return salmon to the water whenever possible, and many district salmon fishery boards and individual fisheries recommend or mandate conservation measures beyond the minimum required by legislation. In 2024, 98% of all rod-caught salmon were released.

The Wild Salmon Strategy and accompanying Implementation Plan provide the overarching framework which will guide the actions to be taken by the Scottish Government and other public bodies, together with the business and charitable sectors to further the protection and recovery of Scottish Atlantic wild salmon populations over the next three years from 2025 to 2028. Actions that have already taken place during the first two years of the plan were published in our Progress Report 2023-2024 and Progress Report 2024-2025 respectively.

The broad range of actions outlined in the plan will help to reduce the impact of pressures identified by respondents as having an impact on wild salmon populations, such as removing or easing barriers to migration. The Wild Salmon Strategy is one component of the Scottish Government’s ambition to protect and restore Scotland's natural environment as outlined in the Environment Strategy for Scotland and the Biodiversity strategy to 2045: tackling the nature emergency.

The Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan Delivery Group, bringing together the organisations that will deliver the actions set out in the Implementation Plan, has the role of overseeing and directing delivery of the Strategy and Implementation Plan.

We recognise that the fisheries management and angling communities have taken important and significant steps in the past three decades for salmon conservation, including increasing catch and release rates across Scotland and contributing to the creation of guidance for catch and release best practice.