SCOTTISH anglers have been urged to catch and kill an invasive non-native species of salmon after numbers of the fish have "concerningly" increased across the country.
First spotted in Scottish waters in significant numbers eight years ago, pink salmon pose a threat to the already endangered Atlantic salmon, as experts fear they will out-compete the native fish species for food and habitats.
Two years ago, wild Atlantic salmon were classified as an endangered species and must be released unharmed by any anglers who catch them.
Pink salmon, which are native to the Russian far east, Alaska and Canada, are appearing in Scotland’s rivers in “increasing numbers”, according to Fisheries Management Scotland (FMS).
The firm, which overlooks the conservation of salmon and freshwater fish in Scotland, is urging anglers who catch pink salmon to “humanely” kill, photograph, and freeze for study.
Brian Davidson, director of operations at FMS, said the number of sightings of pink salmon in Scotland in recent days has been concerning.
He said: “Pink salmon may disrupt our aquatic ecosystems through competition with our endangered, native wild Atlantic salmon. It’s crucial we do what we can to alleviate new threats to their survival.
“Sightings and captures of pink salmon in recent days continue to be a cause for concern. We have developed specific guidance to help people identify pink salmon and take appropriate action if one is caught.
“By humanely dispatching pink salmon, and reporting sightings and catches using our app, the public can play a vital role in helping us understand the extent of the issue and minimising the impact.”
Also named humpbacks, pink salmon, were originally introduced into Russian rivers in the 1960s, and have since spread westwards to colonise some northern Norwegian rivers.
The Norwegian authorities have since been fighting to protect their native fish from the invading pink salmon.
The Pacific fish have a short two-year life-cycle, and spawn at a different time of year to their Atlantic cousins. They have been spotted in Scottish waters on “odd” years for almost a decade.
Pink salmon have already been found in several rivers across the country this summer, including the Dee, Spey, Tay, Ness, Kyle of Sutherland, the lower Tweed at Berwick, and the Thurso.
The Salmon and Trout Conservation Trust has also previously warned: “If they [pink salmon] do begin to colonise and breed over here, that would create a major problem for native salmon which are not doing very well as it is in terms of numbers.”
