Salmon fishing - proposed river gradings 2024: consultation analysis

4. Summary

There were 37 respondents to the consultation who had interests in rivers and freshwater systems across Scotland, including from regional and national fisheries management organisations. A small proportion of respondents (14%) agreed with the proposed river gradings for the 2023 salmon fishing season while 41% objected to them. Many of those who rejected the river gradings appeared to do so due to their views on the assessment method, or their concern that rivers of interest to them were incorrectly graded.

A majority of respondents expressed views demanding urgent actions taken on other pressures that they felt needed to be taken now in order to better protect salmon populations. Additionally, 27% of respondents indicated that they felt a 100% catch and release policy would be more effective in protecting and restoring wild salmon populations.

Several potential impacts of the proposed river gradings were raised by respondents including deterring anglers from the sport, the economic impact on businesses that benefit from angling and reduced contributions from anglers to conservation and habitat restoration projects through their decreased river presence.