Salmon Stressor Analysis Ireland + NASCO on Salmon Crisis Levels | Latest Salmon Watch Ireland Newsletter
The latest Salmon Watch Ireland newsletter has details on this year’s NASCO conference which warned of the crisis levels for Atlantic salmon.
“The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has released its 2025 advice on Atlantic salmon stocks—and the news is sobering.
Wild salmon populations across the North Atlantic have reached historically low levels. The total nominal catch in 2024 was just 364 tonnes, the lowest since recordkeeping began in 1960.”
Stressor Analysis
All countries in attendance also provided stressor analysis of salmon stocks for their own region and SWI has details of Ireland’s salmon stressor levels which included:
North Atlantic Ocean Change
Highest overall stressor.
All Irish salmon exposed to changing marine conditions →
impacting marine survival.
High uncertainty, poor knowledge of mechanisms.
Pollution / Water Quality Deterioration
Among top 4 stressors.
Widespread nutrient, sediment, silt, chemical pollution.
Main sources: agriculture, wastewater, industry, urban runoff.
Affects growth, survival, habitat quality.
Habitat Degradation
Top 4 stressor.
Includes channelisation, land drainage, bank encroachment.
Widespread habitat quality loss → affects spawning and
resilience.
Aquaculture
Top 4 stressor.
Marine open-net cage aquaculture on western seaboard → sea
lice, escapes, disease risk.
Lack of effective mitigation or future plans → contributed to
high score.
For more from SWI and NASCO go to:
https://salmonwatchireland.ie/2025/06/11/nasco-press-release/