Scottish salmon and sea trout fishery statistics 2023

Introduction

This publication summarises the salmon and sea trout fishery statistics, based on returns from proprietors, occupiers and agents of fisheries throughout Scotland, for the 2023 fishing season. This data is derived from 1,963 forms returned from 2,149 forms issued (91% return rate). Catch records for the previous 10 years are based on return rates of between 93% and 95% and these statistics are not corrected based on the return rate. (Data source: 2023 Scottish salmon and sea trout statistics, Supplementary Tables, Table 12, from the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate.)

These statistics are part of a time series which began in 1952 and are collected and collated by the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate.

Collected data for the 2020 and 2021 seasons is impacted by the fishery closures and restrictions in place during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and this will have a bearing on the five-year averages.

Supplementary tables contain the data sources for the charts included in this publication.