Show Me the Money!
It’s not often that the Bank of England and Atlantic salmon find themselves in the same sentence… Yet here we are.
Last week, the Bank of England announced that the next generation of UK banknotes could feature wildlife instead of the historical figures that have graced our pockets for decades. After a public consultation, nature emerged as the most popular theme, and a shortlist of native British species has now been released for public voting.
Now, before anyone panics, this isn't a formal announcement that Winston Churchill has been removed from circulation due to poor spawning success or a lack of suitable habitat! Although through the relentless march of time and the rather unforgiving hamster wheel of life, it is fair to say that dearest Winston is no longer with us.
But perhaps that's part of the point. Those influential people currently featured on our banknotes helped shape Britain's past and got us to where we are today. However, the wildlife now being considered might just help shape Britain's future.
And amongst the shortlist sits an old friend of ours… the Atlantic salmon.
Money Talks
The Bank's shortlist includes mammals, birds and a category covering fish, insects and amphibians. From pine martens to puffins, basking sharks to dragonflies, the final selection aims to showcase the incredible diversity of wildlife found across the UK.
Naturally, I couldn't resist having a look. And yes, I’ve cast my vote. My three choices? The pine marten. The kingfisher. And, of course, good old Salmo salar, the Atlantic salmon.
Not simply because they're species I admire, but because together they tell a story. A story that is pretty much a snapshot of the Teign catchment's diversity. Woodland, River and Water. Three species and three habitats in one connected landscape. Exactly the sort of connectivity we spend a little too much time and passion talking about!
A Strange Thought…
As I was casting my votes online, a slightly uncomfortable thought occurred to me. Imagine a child picking up a £20 note in thirty or forty years' time and seeing an Atlantic salmon printed on the front. Now imagine that same innocent face turning to an older relative and asking,
"What's that?"
Not because they don't recognise the species, but because they've never actually seen one in the wild! That stark possibility should make all of us pause for a moment.
While salmon remain one of the most iconic species in the UK, their numbers continue to face enormous pressures. Habitat loss, barriers to migration, changing river conditions, warming water temperatures, predation, survival at sea and water quality all play their part.
This list is not short and doesn’t make for particularly cheerful bedtime reading. However, I continue to remain stubbornly optimistic. Because, unlike Mr Churchill, salmon aren't confined to the history books just yet. This species remains remarkably resilient and continues to defy the odds… even when those odds appear heavily stacked against them.
They're still here. They're still returning. They're still fighting their way home. And, to me at least, that's a story worthy of total investment.
More Than Just a Fish
One of the reasons I hope people (and by that, I mean everyone who reads this blog) support the salmon is because it acts as such a powerful figurehead for river health. You can't really separate a salmon from the rivers they depend on.
A healthy, sustaining salmon population tells us something about habitat. About water quality. About connectivity. About the condition of an entire ecosystem stretching from Dartmoor to the sea and back again. They're not just fish. They're indicators, and dare I say, messengers!
A species that quietly tells us how well an entire catchment is functioning. Which is why their inclusion on a banknote feels like more than simply recognising a silver fish. In many ways, it kind of symbolises the rivers themselves.
Cast Your Vote
The public consultation remains open until 3rd July, and the Bank of England is inviting people to choose up to two species from each category. The final decision will help shape the next series of banknotes, although, and very much in the spirit of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Bank has confirmed it won't simply be a straight-up popularity contest!
If you'd like to take part, you can cast your vote here: Help Design the Next Series of Banknotes
And if you're struggling to decide, I can thoroughly recommend a pine marten, a kingfisher and an Atlantic salmon! Not that I'm biased, of course, but you can still see all three (if you're lucky) right here in the Teign catchment.
The Real Value
The interesting thing about money is that we often think of it as a measure of value. But perhaps this public consultation should ask a slightly different question…
What do we value enough to put on our money?
Personally, I'd quite like future generations to see the Atlantic salmon on a banknote and recognise it immediately. Not as a symbol of what we once had, but as a reminder of what we fought hard to keep. And if we can manage that, I'd say that's money very well spent.
And on that note... can anyone lend me a tenner? 😄