Saving Wye SalmonSalmon Conservation

Signing the historic dealWhat is the value of a salmon? This varies according to who catches it. To a kingfisher or goosander a young salmon is a tasty meal. To a poacher or commercial netsman it is somewhere near £12.50 per lb. To the rural economy each one caught on rod and line is worth £1,000+, whilst to a fishery's capital value it is worth around £12,000 per fish caught each year, whether kept or released. To someone caught with an illegally taken fish it is worth minus £1,000! To those concerned with restoring a depleted salmon run, a fish left in the river to breed is priceless.

With that last point in mind, what have we done to increase the number of fish on the redds?

  1. In 2000 we bought off the Severn Estuary drift nets for good with funding from owners, MSF (Orri Vigfusson's Migratory Salmon Fund), concerned trusts and fishermen.

  2. We signed up the Goldcliff putchers (upstream of Newport) to a five year moratorium. (2000)

  3. In 1998, we launched a scheme to reward anglers who returned salmon alive to the river. This was at first superseded by the National byelaws, which made the return of all salmon before 16th June mandatory.

  4. In 2003 we introduced another Wye Catch and Release incentive scheme from 16th June to the end of season.

  5. We pressed hard, despite the unpopularity, to have worming, shrimping and prawning banned on the Wye.

  6. We joined with the Wessex Salmon Trust to provide evidence for the EU complaint against the Irish drift nets.

And with what result?

Releasing a river Usk salmonAveraged over the last decade, about 1,200 salmon p/a will be freed to spawn the two rivers but in all probability, many more than that. For the first time since Roman times salmon have free access beyond the estuary nets and traps.

On the Wye, catch and release rates have risen from 7% in 1998, to 88% in 2006.

In 2007, all legal Irish Drift netting ceased.

On the Usk, the salmon population is much nearer the safety zone. However, the Foundation has opened up an appreciable area of new spawning and nursery stream and to fully populate this we need extra fish. We recommend that anglers return all coloured or unseasonable salmon (they don't smoke or eat well anyway) and as many others as possible.

Catch and Release Scheme - River Wye Sportfish

In 1998, The Foundation, together with English Nature, Environment Agency Wales and the Countryside Council for Wales funded an incentive scheme to make fishermen aware of the situation and reward them for releasing salmon. An embroidered sweatshirt was given to anglers who released a salmon during the non-mandatory release period.

Having re opened approximately 50% of the entire Wye catchment during the last decade or so, the need for every salmon to be returned remains essential to their restoration.

In 2009, Sportfish of Winforton have also joined the initiative and have generously offered a £10 voucher for each and every  Wye salmon that goes back after June 15th. If you would like a sweat shirt (new design) too (one per person per season) please state on your application your size (XL, L, M or S).

A Wye salmon goes backMany beats will have Catch & Release forms that you simply complete and send to us having released a salmon. Alternatively, all you have to do is send an email to admin@wyeuskfoundation.org with the following details: