In a development hailed as a "significant environmental turnaround," young Atlantic salmon have been discovered in three rivers in north-west England for the first time in nearly a decade. This sighting offers a glimmer of hope for a species that was declared critically endangered in Britain in 2023.
A Journey from the Arctic to the Mersey
The juvenile fish have been observed in the Mersey, Bollin, and Goyt rivers, marking their first recorded presence there since 2015. This confirms that the salmon have successfully completed an epic migration from their feeding grounds in the Arctic Circle to spawn in the freshwater gravel beds of these English waterways.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency expressed excitement at the find, telling the BBC they were "very excited to find the fish successfully spawning, considering the species’ critically endangered status." The agency has announced plans to conduct a new salmon distribution study in early 2026, utilising eDNA sampling to map the spawning range and assess the extent of the recovery.
Threats to Survival and Historic Decline
The return, while promising, comes against a backdrop of severe decline. British populations of Atlantic salmon have fallen by 30-50% since 2006. A combination of pressures threatens their survival, including:
- Climate change
- Pollution
- Invasive non-native species
- Man-made blockages like dams and weirs
These obstacles continue to prevent migration in some areas. For instance, salmon cannot navigate up the River Tame due to weirs, or the River Irwell because of the Mode Wheel locks at Salford Quays.
Calls for Action to Secure a Future
The discovery has galvanised calls for further intervention to aid the species' recovery. Mike Duddy of the Salford Friendly Anglers Society emphasised the urgency, stating, "If we wanted to do something for our future generations, now is the time to build a fish pass."
Mark Sewell, a wastewater catchment manager at United Utilities, highlighted the progress already made, noting that rivers which were "biologically dead in the 1980s" now support thriving ecosystems. This turnaround underscores the potential for recovery when environmental conditions improve.
The Atlantic salmon's story in Britain is one of resilience and repeated challenge, having declined during the Industrial Revolution, recovered, and then faced a renewed crisis leading to its current critically endangered status. The recent sightings in the Mersey catchment provide a crucial, hopeful data point in the fight for its future.
