Publication - Consultation paper

Salmon fishing: proposed river gradings for 2026 season

Published: 6 August 2025
Directorate: Marine Directorate
Topic: Marine and fisheries

Seeking your views on the proposed river gradings for the 2026 salmon fishing season. Submit your views by 7 September 2025.

Closed
This consultation closed 7 September 2025.

View this consultation on consult.gov.scot, including responses once published.

Consultation analysis

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

Supporting documents

Gradings: Add to Cree

Prior to 2025 season, we referred to Grades 1, 2 and 3 to explain the river gradings assessment. However, to enable greater understanding and clarity amongst our stakeholders and general public interests, we have now moved to describe these as:

good conservation status (G) which was formerly known as Grade/Category 1 rivers
moderate conservation status (M) which was formerly known as Grade/Category 2 rivers
poor conservation status (P) which was formerly known as Grade/Category 3 rivers, and therefore subject to mandatory catch and release.

The River Leven (Dunbartonshire), assessed as being in good conservation status, is awarded poor conservation status to reflect the lower grading of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in the catchment – Endrick Water. The River Leven (Dunbartonshire) is awarded poor conservation status due to the presence of the Endrick Water SAC being in poor conservation status within the system.

District	River Name	Outflow point	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026 - Proposed	Change
Add	River Add	NR 8049 9248	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Ailort (Aylort)	River Ailort	NM 7649 8202	P	M	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Aline	River Aline	NM 6976 4751	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Alness	Alness River	NH 6586 6803	G	M	M	M	M	Moderate	No change
Alness	Balnagowan River	NH 7797 7299	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Alness	River Glass	NH 6278 6561	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Annan	River Annan	NY 1904 6454	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Applecross	River Applecross	NG 7146 4548	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Arnisdale	River Arnisdale	NG 8499 0935	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Awe	River Awe	NN 0127 3273	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Awe	River Etive	NN 1162 4537	P	M	M	M	M	Poor	Declined
Ayr	River Ayr	NS 3282 2274	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Baa	Coladoir and Leidle - Coladoir River	NM 5421 2886	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Baa	Coladoir and Leidle - Leidle River	NM 5187 2644	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Baa	River Ba	NM 5372 4109	G	G	G	G	G	Good	No change
Baa	River Bellart	NM 4299 5175	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Badachro	Kerry and Badachro group - Badachro River	NG 7826 7375	M	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Badachro	Kerry and Badachro group - River Kerry	NG 8122 7388	M	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Balgay	Balgy River	NG 8476 5465	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Beauly	River Beauly	NH 5537 4816	G	G	G	G	G	Good	No change
Berriedale	Berriedale and Langwell Waters SAC	ND 1202 2248	G	G	G	G	G	Good	No change
Bervie	Bervie Water	NO 8356 7253	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Bladnoch (Bladenoch)	River Bladnoch SAC	NX 4407 5482	M	M	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Broom	River Broom	NH 1765 8511	M	G	G	G	G	Good	No change
Brora	River Brora	NC 9099 0384	G	G	G	G	G	Good	No change
Brora	River Loth	NC 9537 0980	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Carradale	Carradale Water	NR 8023 3722	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Carradale	Glenlussa Water	NR 7652 2552	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Carron	River Carron (Strathcarron)	NG 9339 4138	M	M	M	M	P	Poor	No change
Clayburn	East Harris - Abhainn Leac a' Li	NG 1256 9290	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Clayburn	East Harris - Abhainn na Ciste	NG 0745 8753	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Clayburn	East Harris - Loch Creavat system	NG 1183 9286	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Clayburn	East Harris - Loch Flodabay system	NG 0996 8893	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Clayburn	East Harris - Loch Huamavat system	NG 0821 8764	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Clayburn	East Harris - Loch Manias system	NG 1001 8940	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Clayburn	Laxadale Lochs	NG 1815 9952	M	M	M	M	M	Poor	Declined
Clayburn	Scaladale and Vigadale - River Scaladale	NB 1900 1029	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Clayburn	Scaladale and Vigadale - River Vigadale	NB 1892 1150	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Clyde and Leven	Endrick Water SAC	NS 4262 8957	M	M	M	M	P	Poor	No change
Clyde and Leven	River Clyde	NS 4615 7250	M	M	P	P	P	Moderate	Improved
Clyde and Leven	River Goil	NN 1959 0147	P	P	P	P	P	Poor	No change
Clyde and Leven	River Leven (Dunbartonshire)	NS 3951 7423	M	M	M	M	P	Poor	No change
Conon	River Conon	NH 5616 5788	G	G	G	G	G	Good	No change
Cree	River Cree	NX 4654 5812	G	G	G	G	G	Good	No change

Thanks for your feedback

Information

Gradings: Add to Cree