Provisional salmon fishery statistics - 2011 season

Summary

• Total reported rod catch (retained and released) for 2011 is 86,655 salmon. It is the six highest rod catch on record, and is 97% of the previous 5-year average.
• The proportion of the rod catch accounted for by catch and release continues to increase. In 2011, 91% of rod caught spring salmon was released, as was 73% of the annual rod catch.
• Trends in rod catch vary among individual stock components. Reported catch of spring salmon shows a general decline since records began and, although there is some indication that spring salmon catch has stabilised in recent years, it remains at a historically low level. Grilse catch, on the other hand, has generally increased over the period while the catch of summer salmon shows little overall trend.
• Catch and effort for both fixed engine and net & coble fisheries remain at historically low levels. Fishing effort in both net fisheries was the fourth lowest since records began in 1952. Catch in the fixed engine and net & coble fisheries were 5% and 2% of the maximum recorded in the respective time series.
• Provisional data presented here are a summary of the data from 1,795 forms returned from 2,002 forms issued (90% return rate) for the 2011 season. Return rates for the final published statistics for the previous 10 years have been between 93% and 96%.

Publication of provisional salmon fishery statistics

Provisional salmon fishery statistics are published to provide an early indication of the performance of the fishery. The status of salmon stocks, as derived from fishery data, will be considered with the publication of the final statistics later in the year.

These data are derived from a lower proportion of forms returned than the final statistics. The provisional statistics for the 2011 season are a summary of the data from 1,795 forms returned from 2,002 forms issued (90% return rate). Return rates for the final published statistics for the previous 10 years have been between 93% and 96%

Topic sheet no. 67 explains how we collect the catch statistics and is available for download at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/science/Publications/TopicSheets.

Provisional data for the 2011 fishing season are available for download by following links from the main Scottish Salmon and Sea Trout Fishery Statistics page at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/science/Publications/stats/SalmonSeaTroutCatches

The data provided for download are the best available at the time of publication. Our records are amended when further information is provided and the most accurate data may be obtained directly from us. If you have a specific request for Scottish salmon and sea trout fishery information, please contact us directly at ms.catchform@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Catch and Effort Reported by Scottish Fisheries in 2011

The rod and line fishery

23,702 wild salmon and grilse were reported caught and retained in the rod and line fishery. A further 62,953 wild salmon and grilse were reported caught and released. The combined retained and released rod catch was 97% of the previous 5-year average. We have no time series of fishing effort information associated with the rod and line fishery.

Trends in rod and line catch are shown in Figure 1. The total rod catch in 2011 (retained and released) was 125% of the average over the period from 1952 when records began. Rod and line catch constituted 81% of the total Scottish catch in 2011 compared to 11% in 1952.

Figure 1 Rod and line fishery.

Trends in total rod catch vary among individual stock components. Reported catch of spring salmon shows a general decline since records began and, although there is some indication that spring salmon catch has stabilised in recent years, it remains at a historically low level. Grilse catch has generally increased over the period while the catch of summer salmon shows no clear trend.

Catch and release

The proportion of the rod catch accounted for by catch and release has generally increased since 1994, when such information was first recorded. In 2011, 73% of the annual rod catch was released compared to less than 8% in 1994. Similarly, less than 1% of rod caught spring salmon were released in 1994 while 91% were released in 2011 (Figure 2).

Figure 2 Catch and release, rod and line fishery.

The net fisheries

13,802 wild salmon and grilse were reported caught and retained in the fixed engine fishery, and the national index of netting effort was 194.5 trap months. 5,961 wild salmon and grilse were reported caught and retained in the net & coble fishery, while the reported effort was 77 crew months.

Reported catch and effort have declined in both net fisheries over much of the period covered by our records and remain at historically low levels. Fishing effort in both net fisheries was the fourth lowest since records began in 1952. Catch in the fixed engine and net & coble fisheries were 5% and 2% of the maximum recorded in the respective time series.