Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan: annual progress report 2025
The third annual progress report under the Scottish wild salmon strategy implementation plan covering progress in 2025.
Theme 2: Managing exploitation through effective regulation, deterrents and enforcement (6 actions)
Dashboard Snapshot
3 continuous management actions (i.e. no identified end point)
1 completed in this report’s timeframe
1 completed during the 2024 report’s timeframe (but continuing to be implemented)
* 1 action in progress but behind the schedule originally envisaged in the Implementation Plan
Headline Impact
- Development of increased penalties for fish poaching
- National catch and release protections maintained, including mandatory measures informed by stock assessments
- Continued prohibition on retaining salmon in coastal waters
Key Achievements
- Provisions in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 strengthening the legal framework to deter wildlife crime against salmon
- Continued application of evidence-based regulation
- Significant conservation contribution from anglers, with 98% of rod-caught salmon released in 2025, reflecting the sustained and substantial voluntary commitment to catch and release alongside compliance with mandatory measures where applicable
The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 was passed in January 2026 and includes provisions to amend the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003 to increase financial penalties for the most serious fish poaching offences and allowing for certain penalties to be applied on a ‘per-fish’ basis. Consideration will be given to the commencement of these provisions in light of any wider arrangements made to align penalties across the border rivers (Tweed and Esk) with the rest of Scotland’s rivers.
We continue to operate a statutory regulatory framework to protect vulnerable salmon stocks. The annual salmon stock assessment again informed the revisions to Schedule 2 of the Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016 which came into effect from 1 April 2026, specifying where salmon are subject to mandatory catch and release practices for the 2026 season.
The prohibition of the retention of salmon in coastal waters was maintained for this reporting period. This follows considerations during the annual salmon stock assessment process and reflected in revisions to the Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016.
Preparatory work was undertaken by the Scottish Government to take forward a review of the existing compulsory catch and release measure put in place to protect spring fish through the Conservation of Salmon (Annual Close Time and Catch and Release) (Scotland) Regulations 2014. Consideration is now being given to next steps to complete by the end of this Implementation Plan.
Revised best practice guidance for catch and release has been promoted throughout 2025 by Delivery Group partners, supporting the substantial voluntary contribution already being made by anglers through high levels of catch and release.