Escaped Farmed Salmon
10/09/2020 –
Update: Clyde River Foundation
ESCAPED FARMED SALMON
Some 50,000 adult salmon recently escaped into the Firth of Clyde from a farm at North Carradale, Argyll. They are currently appearing in the lower reaches of rivers around the Clyde coast, including the Clyde and Kelvin.
What do they look like?
These fish are identifiable as farmed fish from a number of key features. https://t.co/Y7J0Lhi2cG?amp=1
What should I do if I catch one?
If you catch a farmed fish, dispatch it, fill in the downloadable form https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/b432577f816b400cbe8902bd3b799200, and send a scale sample to the Ayrshire Rivers Trust https://asfbuk.sharepoint.com/:i:/g/ERVyukZbaqpDvEz-S1o-a3MBmn5Ct6Dhwo1bFe9sCM3xQQ.
What about Wild fish?
We are also looking for scale samples and catch information from wild Clyde salmon to help us understand the relative proportions of wild/farmed fish in the catch. We would be grateful for scale samples and catch information from these too. Please help conservation efforts by not killing wild fish.
07/09/2020 –
Update: Fisheries Management Scotland
Fisheries Management Scotland (FMS) have released a news item which addresses the Carradale North Salmon Farm and the escaped fish. The statement provided details what FMS are doing, how to identify farmed fish, and protocol for reporting the capture of any suspected farmed fish.
http://fms.scot/escaped-farmed-fish-beginning-to-appear-in-west-coast-rivers/
26/08/09 –
Storm Damage at Carradale North Salmon Farm – what happened and what happens next?
What Happened?
Following storm damage and subsequent escape of nearly 50,000 adult salmon from Carradale North Salmon Farm last week, the Clyde River Foundation is part of a consortium attempting to protect our wild fisheries from damage caused by the escapees. Fisheries Management Scotland have produced a useful summary of the incident:
http://fms.scot/update-on-storm-damage-at-carradale-north-salmon-farm/
What Happens Next?
Part of the response to the potential appearance of adult fish in the Clyde is to collect scales from the fish and have them examined. The growth patterns on farmed salmon scales are easily distinguished from those of wild fish. Collecting scales gives us one index of the occurrence of the escapees in fresh water.
To that end we are requesting anglers to take scale samples for all salmon caught and the method for scale sampling is here:
https://asfbuk.sharepoint.com/:i:/g/ERVyukZbaqpDvEz-S1o-a3MBmn5Ct6Dhwo1bFe9sCM3xQQ
Scales should be stored in paper packaging (e.g. wrapped in kitchen roll or in a paper envelope) until posting. It is important that scales are not stored in plastic nor dried on a direct heat source.
Information to be collected with each scale sample is here:
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/b432577f816b400cbe8902bd3b799200
Scales should be posted to:
Ayrshire Rivers Trust
1 Gibbsyard
Auchincruive Estate
Ayr
KA6 5HW
Thank you for your assistance.