Wild Salmon Strategy Science and Evidence Board minutes: July 2025

Attendees and apologies

• John Armstrong, Marine Directorate (Chair)
• Claire Speedie, Marine Directorate
• Steven Dora, Marine Directorate
• Alan Wells, Fisheries Management Scotland
• Melanie Smith, Atlantic Salmon Trust
• Lorraine Hawkins, Dee District Salmon Fishery Board
• David Summers, Tay District Salmon Fishery Board
• James Hunt, Tweed Foundation
• Peter Pollard, Scottish Environment Protection Agency
• Chris Todd, St Andrews University

Additional Invitees

• Bob Kindness (River Carron Conservation Association)
• Victoria Pritchard (University of the Highlands and Islands)
• Brian Shaw (Ness DSFB)

Apologies:

• Colin Bean (NatureScot)
• Peter Pollard (SEPA)

Items and actions

Welcome and introduction

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting and noted that this meeting was the outcome of discussion at the 1 May Science and Evidence Board (SEB) meeting at which there was a request from one of the members to consider a recent report on stocking the River Carron and also developments in understanding the genetic consequences of stocking. Although the SEB had already submitted a report on Recovery Stocking to the Delivery Group, it was agreed to hear further submissions in case useful amendments could be made to the advice. The SEB heard presentations from Bob Kindness of the River Carron Conservation Association, Victoria Pritchard of University of Highlands and Islands and Brian Shaw of the Ness District Salmon Fishery Board followed by questions and discussion. The Chair thanked them for their input and the SEB reconvened after a short break to discuss further.

The SEB agreed that the evidence presented did not necessitate substantial amendment to its advice on recovery stocking to the WSS Delivery Group. It was agreed that it would be useful to emphasise that it is widely accepted that stocked salmon can be detected as returning adults, However, such observations do not inform on the success or otherwise of stocking for reasons already explained in the advice. Secondly, it was appropriate to add an additional risk associated with stocking- that progeny can get mixed up in the hatchery and mistakenly stocked into the wrong river.

The Chair took an action to review the draft advice to take account of these considerations (as well as looking into any available information on the relative contribution  of precocious male parr to offspring) and recirculate to the group.

• action point 1 – JA to review and recirculate the draft recovery stocking advice for SEB agreement before final submission to the Delivery Group

The SEB agreed to carry-over reviewing the actions from the previous meeting (1 May) to its next meeting which would focus on progressing the Delivery Group commission to provide a summary outline of evidence on the impact of seal and bird predation.