Wild Salmon Strategy Science and Evidence Board minutes: August 2025

Attendees and apologies

• John Armstrong, Marine Directorate (Chair)
• Steven Dora, Marine Directorate
• Alan Wells, Fisheries Management Scotland
• Colin Bean, NatureScot
• Lorraine Hawkins, Dee District Salmon Fishery Board
• James Hunt, Tweed Foundation
• David Summers, Tay District Salmon Fishery Board
• Chris Todd, University of St Andrews

Additional Invitees

• Steve Campbell, Scottish Agricultural Science Agency
• Clive Mitchell, NatureScot
• Karen Hall, NatureScot
• Simon Cohen, NatureScot
• Pete Sparrow, Marine Directorate
• Molly Nurse, Marine Directorate
• Louise Cameron, Marine Directorate

Apologies

• Melanie Smith, Atlantic Salmon Trust

Items and actions

Introduction

John Armstrong welcomed all to the meeting, which had been convened in response to a request from the Wild Salmon Strategy Delivery Group (at its 28 February meeting) to develop summary advice on the predation of wild salmon by fish-eating birds and seals. In advance of the meeting, JA had prepared an information note which summarised the science relating to the impacts and management of bird predators and seals on wild salmon. That note, which is entitled “Summary of science relating to impacts and management of bird predators and seals on wild salmon in Scotland” will be published on the Wild Salmon Strategy Delivery Group web page.

The following points were raised in discussion during the meeting:

• the recently published report of the National Electric Fishing Programme for Scotland 2023 showed (in general terms) that juvenile salmon south of the Moray Firth were no longer at “saturation” meaning that losses of juveniles to predation were now additive (i.e. there was no-longer a surplus of juveniles to compensate for losses to predation)
• wild salmon were now endangered, we were in a biodiversity crisis and a climate crisis – i.e. a new paradigm which required new approaches to manage predation as well as all the other pressures faced by wild salmon
• changing weather patterns (exemplified by the severe water scarcity experienced this year on Scotland’s east coast) was increasingly hampering the upstream migration of adults and downstream migration of smolts and was likely to increase losses to predation
• physical barriers to migration (so-called “pinch-points”) put fish at a disadvantage and were utilised by predators; these were often in urban or periurban environments where lethal control was hampered or impossible
• the displacement of fish-eating birds moved the problem elsewhere
• at present, licenses issued for the lethal control of birds were only granted to make scaring more effective and not for population control
• uncertainty remained around the relative proportions of losses from birds, seals and other predators
• a small number of seals specialised in salmon predation; in some rivers these were well monitored
• Harbour seal numbers were critically low with no clear solution on how to improve their conservation status
• acoustic deterrents and other seal scaring methods have to date yielded mixed results but this continued to be an active area of research
• the river grading system was not designed for use as a benchmark for whether or not a salmon population could withstand predation without intervention
• spring salmon were susceptible to predation throughout the year so licences granted specifically for their protection should not be limited to the spring period 
• the law no-longer allowed the granting of seal licences for the protection of fisheries but did (amongst other purposes) allow licences for the protection of other wild animals (which included wild salmon); however piscivorous bird licence applications were usually framed for the protection of fisheries

The Chair thanked all for their contributions and took an action to draft a summary note for sharing with the Science and Evidence Board (SEB) and invitees. Once signed-off by the SEB, this would be submitted to the Wild Salmon Strategy Delivery Group in response to its commission for summary advice on the predation of wild salmon by fish-eating birds and seals.

Following a short break, the SEB reconvened without additional invitees. The actions from 1 May meeting were reviewed and completed. The next meeting would be in November.