Salmon fishing - proposed river gradings for 2025 season: 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 (19%) agreed with the proposed river gradings for the 2025 salmon fishing season while 30% 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.

Over a quarter (38%) of respondents expressed views urging actions should be focused on other pressures that they felt needed to be taken now in order to better protect salmon populations. Additionally, 19% of respondents indicated that they felt a 100% catch and release policy would be more effective in protecting and restoring wild salmon populations.

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