Celebrating International Wild Salmon Day
Honouring a Legacy & Protecting the Future of Wild Salmon
A Day to Reflect, Reconnect, and Reignite
For those of you that don’t know, each year, June 1st marks International Wild Salmon Day, a globally recognised occasion to honour one of nature’s most iconic and ecologically vital species - the Atlantic Salmon.
From the icy rivers of the Atlantic Northeast to the winding waterways of the British Isles, Atlantic Salmon are not only biological keystones but also cultural cornerstones. This day served as a poignant reminder of their value and an awareness piece to us all.
For those of us in Devon, the Atlantic salmon holds a deep and historical resonance, particularly in rivers like the Teign. Nestled in the heart of God’s Country, the Teign has for centuries been a thriving artery for salmon, shaping the rhythms of rural communities, traditions of fly fishing, and stewardship of the natural world. But today, that heritage and legacy face continued, unprecedented threats.
As part of this day, a Wild Salmon Declaration has been launched for you all to sign if you wish – It is a continued call for action from individuals, businesses and organisations which builds to raise further awareness. Find out more here - Declaration – Wild Salmon Day
The Cultural and Ecological Heritage of Salmon on the River Teign
The River Teign has long been a stronghold for the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). For generations, local fisherfolk have cast lines in its waters, observing the ancient ritual of salmon returning from sea to spawn in the same gravel beds where they were once born. These pilgrimages are awe-inspiring feats where salmon navigate hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles with precision accuracy, overcoming waterfalls, weirs, and navigating junctions to reach their natal spawning grounds.
Historically, the salmon run on the Teign was not just a marvel of the natural world; it was a cultural phenomenon. It sustained livelihoods, rang the calendar bell for seasonal change, and shaped the rhythm of life for anglers, river keepers, and rural communities alike. The river's salmon population was a symbol of abundance and nature’s balance. A healthy river meant healthy salmon, and vice versa. However, over the past decades and into recent years, those numbers have been in worrying decline. The Atlantic salmon is currently classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List, reflecting the critical state of its populations across various habitats.
Stressors - The Silent Crisis
These Wild salmon face a complex tapestry of threats, and worryingly, most of which are human-induced. On the River Teign and across the South West, the following stressors have had an especially dramatic impact:
Climate Change & Rising Water Temperatures
As global temperatures rise, river ecosystems are warming beyond the optimal threshold for salmon. Higher temperatures reduce dissolved oxygen levels in the water and disrupt the salmon’s sensitive life cycle, from spawning to smoltification (juvenile salmon). To put things into perspective, once water temperatures reach 18°C, salmon, sea trout, and native brown trout begin to struggle, and temperature continues to play a crucial role in the growth and survival of salmon eggs. Once spawning has occurred in late Autumn, 12°C is heralded as a magic number and, more worryingly, a cliff edge. This is because mortality and deformity rates increase markedly in salmon eggs above this temperature. Fortunately, and proven through our monitoring over 4 years as part of the River Teign Restoration Project, we were able to confirm through our data that the water temperature did not exceed 12°C during the three months after spawning (roughly the time taken for the eggs to hatch) at known salmon spawing locations within the Teign catchment. This, at least, allowed us to be optimistic about these particular eggs hatching into young alevin to embark upon their epic journey. One blessing for these Dartmoor rivers is that altitude and in turn, lower temperatures are our friend - for now at least!
Poor Water Quality
Pollution from agricultural runoff, surface water runoff during prolonged periods of dry weather, sewage discharges, and industrial processes degrade water quality. High levels of nitrates, phosphates, and other pollutants can suffocate eggs and kill juvenile salmon before they even reach the sea.
Barriers to Migration
Human structures like weirs and poorly designed culverts can impede and sometimes block the salmon’s migratory routes both upstream and downstream. On the Teign, these obstructions can significantly delay or prevent salmon from reaching their preferred spawning habitats, meaning they are forced to spawn in sub-optimal parts of the catchment.
Predation
Changes in predator populations, including increases in piscivorous birds like gooseanders and cormorants, put added pressure on juvenile salmon numbers. Weir pools are favoured locations for smolts to rest, and in turn, it doesn’t take long for these piscivorous birds to work out where the buffet is!
Overfishing & Bycatch
Though regulations have improved, historical overfishing and ongoing bycatches at sea continue to diminish the returning adult salmon. Remember that every adult who fails to return to spawn is a missed generation.
Reasons for Hope - Local Action & Global Resonance
Despite this grim outlook, I believe there is a genuine cause for optimism. On the River Teign and throughout the South West, dedicated organisations are working tirelessly to reverse this decline and restore balance to this precious ecosystem.
At TACA, we strive to be a beacon of catchment-based conservation. Our work includes habitat restoration, improving fish passage where we can, riverbank restoration, and public education. Importantly, TACA also collaborates with landowners, anglers, scientists and our project partners to ensure a balanced approach to planned works. Our ethos is about conservation efforts that blend traditional knowledge with modern data-led outputs. We honour the past while building for the future.
Above us, we also work at a regional level with the South West Rivers Association. The SWRA coordinates efforts across the twenty river catchments in the whole of the South West. From lobbying for stronger environmental protections to supporting fisheries research and wider catchment-scale projects, SWRA provides wider leadership. Their partnerships with government bodies and conservation charities help secure funding and implement vital ecological improvements. Long may this relationship and great work continue!
A Legacy Worth Saving
To witness a wild Atlantic salmon surging upstream - muscles straining against the current, leaping up obstacles, defying gravity and odds - is to see something ancient and sacred first-hand. It’s more than instinct. It is absolute resilience etched into DNA, a living memory passed through countless generations. These are not just fish. They are messengers of the wild, storytellers of our rivers, and quiet indicators of how well we are living with and treating our natural world.
On the River Teign, that story has been told for thousands of years - through swirling back eddies, crisp morning casts, and fireside tales passed between anglers and elders. But, unfortunately, the voice of the Atlantic salmon is growing ever quieter. Every lost salmon is more than a data point - it’s a break in the chain that links us to our landscapes and our cultural heritage. It’s a reminder that when we lose a species, we lose a part of ourselves. Yet even now, through all this, the river still flows. And with it, so does hope.
I firmly believe we have the tools, the domain expertise, and the community to write a new chapter - one where the Atlantic salmon return and trends in numbers begin to turn in the right direction. A direction where nature and humanity move forward together, not apart.
This legacy is not written in Dartmoor granite. It’s written in water, constantly moving and shaped by every choice we make. So, let us choose wisely. Let us honour the river. Let us save the salmon - not just for what they are, but for what they mean. Because when the salmon return, so too does something wild and wondrous in us all.