Scottish salmon and sea trout fishery statistics 2022

Summary of the salmon and sea trout fishery catch statistics updated for the 2022 season.


Salmon Rod Fishery

Of the 42,204 wild fish reported as caught in the rod fishery, 40,743 were subsequently released and 1,461 retained. Total rod catch of salmon has generally declined from its peak in 2010. The 2022 total rod catch was the fourth lowest out of the 71 years since records began in 1952 and 96% of the previous five-year average.

Chart 1: Annual number of salmon caught by rod since 1952, and annual number of salmon caught by rod and released since 1994 (thousands).
Line chart with two lines: one showing total rod catch of salmon increasing from 1952 until 2010 and decreasing since; the other showing released rod catch increasing from 1994 until 2010, and declining since. The total rod catch and released rod catch lines are converging

Data source: 2022 Scottish salmon and sea trout statistics, Supplementary Tables, Table 1, from Marine Scotland.

Stock Components

Trends in total rod catch vary among individual stock components (Chart 2). Catch of spring multi sea-winter (MSW) fish (taken before 1 May) has generally declined since records began though they have been relatively stable in recent years. The 2022 spring catch was 122% of the previous five-year average, which is affected by the fishery closures during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Following a period of decline, catch of MSW caught after April summed with one sea-winter salmon (1SW), increased in 2022. The 2022 total shows an increase of 13%, when compared with 2021, and is 94% of the previous five-year average.

Chart 2: Annual number of Spring MSW salmon and Summer/autumn MSW & 1SW salmon since 1952 (thousands).
Line chart with two lines: one showing annual catch of summer/autumn MSW and 1SW salmon increasing from 1952 to a peak in 2010, and declining since; the other showing catch of spring MSW salmon declining since 1952

Data source: 2022 Scottish salmon and sea trout statistics, Supplementary Tables, Table 1, from Marine Scotland.

Catch and release

The percentage of the rod catch accounted for by catch and release has generally increased since 1994, when such information was first recorded. In 2022, 97% of the annual rod catch, and 99% of the spring rod catch, were released (Chart 3). A proportion of fish released from the rod fishery may be re-caught and hence inflate the catch statistics by appearing in the reported data more than once.

Chart 3: Rod fishery, percentage of catch and release of annual and spring salmon.
Line chart with two lines showing increasing percentages released for both spring catch and annual catch. The percentage of the annual catch being released has increased more slowly that of the spring catch.

Data source: 2022 Scottish salmon and sea trout statistics, Supplementary Tables, Table 1, from Marine Scotland.

Contact

Email: ms.catchform@gov.scot

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