Anglers urged to remain vigilant for Pacific pink salmon

Natural Resources Wales is appealing to anglers and netsmen to remain vigilant and report the presence of any Pacific pink salmon encountered in Welsh river systems again this year.

Although instances of the non-native pink salmon found in the waters in and around Wales are rare, (only one pink salmon has been verified in recent years in Wales, caught in the fish trap at Chester in 2019 as part of NRWs Salmon assessment programme); increasing numbers have been reported in other parts of the UK.

David Mee, Specialist Fisheries Advisor for NRW, said:

“It is quite unusual to find pink salmon in our waters however a sudden increase in pink salmon stocks in northern Norway in 2019, 2021 and 2023 and increased reporting of this non-native species in other parts of the UK rivers especially in Scotland in recent years is of particular concern.

“If large numbers of pink salmon were to be found in Welsh rivers it could negatively impact some of our native species such as Atlantic salmon and sea trout as well as estuarine and coastal marine fish species and their associated ecosystems.“

The potential impact of pink salmon is unclear at present; however, these fish may introduce parasites and disease which are not present in native salmonid fish.

David added:

“We only have limited information on the threat posed by pink salmon; however, we do know that climatic and environmental conditions in Wales are ideal for the  potential establishment of pink salmon populations in our river systems.

“NRW is working with fisheries management organisations across the UK and is sharing information and advice to ensure that any appearance of pink salmon in Wales can be monitored and managed appropriately.

“Data on sightings is vital to determine any potential impact on the local environment and species so I’d urge netsmen and anglers to contact us if they see any non-native salmon in the waters, with a date, location and, if possible a photograph, which would really help us identify them and build up a picture of where they may be.”

Anglers and netsman who catch pink salmon are asked not to return it to the water, instead to dispatch it humanely, record capture date, length and weight and make the fish available to NRW for further analysis.

Report the catch on NRW’s 24-hour incident hotline number 03000 65 3000 or online at Natural Resources Wales / Report an incident

Advice for anglers and netsmen in Wales

• If you are absolutely confident that you have caught a Pacific pink salmon, the fish should be humanely despatched.
• If you are not absolutely confident that you have caught a pink salmon, then the fish should be released back to the river alive where it was captured. This is to ensure that no Atlantic salmon are retained in error.
• Remember – it is an offence to take Atlantic salmon in any Welsh waters, and we will take enforcement action against anyone in possession of one.
• NRW will then arrange collection of the fish for further examination. This will help establish the abundance and extent of distribution of the species.
• Further information is available on our Pink salmon page Natural Resources Wales / Identify and report Pacific pink salmon

How to identify a pink salmon:

• Large black oval spots on the tail
• Bluish back, silver flanks and white belly
• Much smaller scales than an Atlantic salmon of the same size
• Very dark mouth and tongue
• 40-60cm in length
• Breeding males develop a distinctive hump

In contrast, the native Atlantic salmon typically has:

• No spots on the tail
• Usually larger (up to 100cm in length)
• Pale mouth and tongue
• Larger scales
• One or two black spots on the gill cover
• Spots on the back above the lateral line
• Thicker base of tail than pink salmon

Picture: R.Miller; The Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust