UK Environment Agency warns of Invasive Pink Salmon threat to local fisheries.

The UK Environment Agency has urged anglers to report catches or sightings of invasive Pacific Pink Salmon, which are expected to appear in UK waters this year. In 2019 and 2021, there were numerous sightings of invasive pink salmon in UK waters and – with this species having a fixed, two-year life cycle and generally spawning in the summer – it is highly likely they will appear again in rivers this year.

The Environment Agency said the arrival of pink salmon raises potential concerns to other native species, including wild Atlantic salmon. Atlantic salmon are threatened, with numbers of the species falling dramatically due to various pressures. The invasive pink salmon is seen as an additional threat to their survival owing to their aggressive nature and potential to introduce novel fish parasites and diseases.

Pink salmon (Onchorhyncus gorbuscha) originate from the northern Pacific Ocean and can be identified by large black oval spots on their tail and a very dark mouth and tongue. They also have much smaller scales than those of the Atlantic salmon.

The Environment Agency has a programme to deliver actions and outcomes identified within the Invasive Non-native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain. The team works closely with the Non-Native Species Secretariat to monitor species, develop and promote biosecurity and deliver management programmes for aquatic invasives.

“Environment Agency teams are working hard to contain and control invasive non-native species so that native fish, ecosystems and other wildlife are reduced from the damage they pose“, said Simon Toms, National Fisheries Management Team Leader at the Environment Agency.

“That is why it is crucial that the public understand the potential risks posed by this species and report the capture or sightings of all pink salmon to us, whether that be through our new reporting tool or to the EA’s national hotline“.

Team Maverick