Ayrshire Rivers Trust are working closely with Fishery Management Scotland, other neighbouring Trusts and DSFBs to respond to the fish farm escape of salmon into the Forth of Clyde at Carradale. MOWI have now managed to assess all cages and provided a count on the fish they have lost. Over 48,000 salmon around 4.3kg in weight have escaped.
These fish may turn up in Ayrshire rivers or other’s flowing into the Firth of Clyde and in order that an adequate response is compiled, anglers are encouraged to kill and salmon which they have reasonable grounds to believe are farmed in origin. This includes on Category 3 rivers but it the angler’s responsibility to take every precaution not to kill a wild salmon.
Eating escaped farmed salmon is not advisable as the latency of chemical treatments and pesticides used in fish farms can be prolonged. Therefore should you catch a farmed salmon and kill it, it should disposed of after removing scale samples from the fish. Scale samples along with photos and details of where it was captured should be sent to Ayrshire Rivers Trust or dropped off at their office. (all as detailed in the form in the link below). Gathering evidence related to this incident is crucial if we are to help prevent any repeats.
Here is the reporting form that should be completed and returned along with scale samples, photos, location etc. by anyone catching an escaped farmed salmon in any Forth of Clyde connected river. It is important that the details within the forms are completed and guidance followed as this should help FMS, DSFBs, Trusts, MSS, FHI etc. collate the data and ensure appropriate action to be taken.
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/b432577f816b400cbe8902bd3b799200