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Here they eat a range of different prey, including fish, such as blue whiting, herring and sandeels, and various zooplankton3Haugland, M., Holst, J.C., Holm, M., & Hansen, L.P. (2006).
Predation on Atlantic salmon and sea trout during their first days as postsmolts. Journal of Fish Biology, 61, 858-852. doi: doi:10.1006/jfbi.2002.2090.
Conservation assessment for the 2019 season
The assessment for the 2019 fishing season, based on data from the 2013 - 2017 period, categorized Scotland's rivers as follows:
49 rivers as grade 1
30 rivers as grade 2
94 rivers as grade 3.
Some studies have suggested that cormorants prefer young fish. Survival of young salmon is considered to be density-dependant which means that it is possible that a reduced population density due to predation may result in the remaining individuals being more likely to survive1Harris, C.M., Calladine, J.R., Wernham, C.V., & Park, K.J. (2008).
The North Atlantic subpolar gyre and the marine migration of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar: the ‘Merry‐Go‐Round’ hypothesis. Journal of Fish Biology. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02673.x, which makes it difficult to fully understand the pressures they may face during this life stage.
The model showed a continued decline in the marine survival of salmon over this time, along with an increase in the number of fish returning as grilse (one-sea-winter salmon) 1ICES. (2019).
Temperature requirements of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, brown trout Salmo trutta and Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus: predicting the effects of climate change. Journal of Fish Biology, 77, 1793-1817. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02762.x.
Questions and Answers
Date answered:
2 August 2019
We have also pledged our support of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative to ensure that the issue of loss or abandoned fishing gear, often made of plastic is addressed around the world.