Defra is failing to protect salmon from predators
Many species prey on salmon, and not only while they are at their most vulnerable.
The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) is “disappointed” by Defra’s response to its call for predator control measures to save the Atlantic salmon in the UK’s rivers.
In a letter to Defra Secretary Daniel Zeichner, the NGO raised the results of its recent survey, which highlighted the impact that predators — including cormorants, goosanders and seals — are having on salmon populations. The NGO requested support for stricter management of these species to protect juvenile salmon.
The Government said it had “no current plans” to review the laws protecting aquatic predators, and failed to acknowledge that its current schemes to protect salmon were failing .
Editor of Trout & Salmon magazine Andrew Flitcroft commented: “With the plight of the Atlantic salmon on a knife-edge, how can the catalysts of this crash be allowed to go unchecked by Government departments tasked with protecting our natural environment?
“We know cormorants and goosanders prey on young salmon — not just when they are smolting and at their most vulnerable, but throughout the entire year. While there may be little we can do at sea, or to mitigate climate change in the short-term, we can address the threats within our control.”
