Project to save the King’s salmon river under way
The Atlantic Salmon Trust, of which HM King Charles III is patron, has launched Save the Spring, a 20-year programme of work to restore the upper Dee, parts of which are owned by the King.
It is working in partnership with the River Dee Trust and Dee District Salmon Fishery Board.
The programme focuses on landscape-scale habitat restoration of the upper catchment, and closely monitored wild fish repopulation at a local scale to immediately boost salmon populations.
Andrew Flitcroft, editor of Trout & Salmon, said: “Given that the UK’s wild salmon are now classed as endangered, we can no longer sit on our hands hoping habitat restoration alone is the answer.
“Salmon survival is at a critical point and if we are caught napping, the demise of this iconic species is inevitable. This project partnership between the Atlantic Salmon Trust, River Dee Trust, Dee Fishery Board and University of Stirling is much needed. The process of reconditioning and growing on kelts and smolts to reproductive maturity is fascinating. Let us hope it is successful, and if so, rolled out swiftly on other catchments. Time is not on the salmon’s side.
