Deliver the actions set out in the Scottish wild salmon strategy implementation plan 2023-2028 to improve habitat and reduce pressures on salmon and other fish species.
Objective 4: Protect and support the recovery of vulnerable and important species and habitats
Priority Action 23. Implement measures to protect and recover Scotland’s wild Atlantic salmon and migratory fish populations.
The Scottish Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan (2023–2028) has been published and sets out actions to address key pressures on wild salmon, including habitat degradation, barriers to migration, water quality, climate change, and interactions with aquaculture.
Delivery is underway through a combination of Scottish Government policy measures, NatureScot and SEPA regulatory roles, and river-level habitat restoration projects led by fisheries trusts and partner organisations. Published materials confirm ongoing activity in areas such as river restoration, barrier removal, and improved monitoring of salmon populations.
However, there is no consolidated national reporting framework demonstrating progress against all actions in the implementation plan or quantifying ecological outcomes at Scotland-wide scale.
The implementation plan is based on strong evidence that wild Atlantic salmon populations in Scotland are in decline due to multiple pressures including habitat loss, climate change, barriers to migration, and marine survival factors.
Actions within the plan—such as habitat restoration, improving river connectivity, and reducing pressures from land use and aquaculture—are supported by fisheries science as necessary for improving salmon population status.
However, ecological outcomes depend on scale, consistency, and long-term delivery of actions across catchments. While local habitat improvements and monitoring are ongoing, there is no published national evidence yet demonstrating recovery of salmon populations attributable to implementation of the plan.
Scottish Government – Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan (2023–2028)
Scottish Government – Wild Salmon Strategy
NatureScot – Scotland’s Changing Nature – Atlantic Salmon
SEPA – River Basin Management Planning (habitat and water quality)
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