Anglers on the River Deveron are being asked to be on the look out for non-native Pink Salmon after two have been landed on the Carnousie beat this week.
The first one caught on The Deveron, a 3lb male salmon, was caught by local Angler Mr Craig Wyness. Both fish were removed from the river and humanely dispatched and the Deveron, Bogie & Isla Rivers Charitable Trust & River Deveron District Salmon Fishery Board were notified.
Pink Salmon caught on the River Deveron
These fish are not native to Scotland and are likely to have ‘strayed’ from some of the rivers in northern Norway or Russia.
Identifying Pink Salmon
Pacific pink salmon, when fresh from the sea, are steel blue to blue-green on their backs, silver on the flanks and white on their bellies. There are large black spots on the backs, upper flanks, adipose fins and tail – some of the spots on the tail can be as large as the fish’s eyes. They are very uniform in size, reaching only 40 to 60cms in length.
Fisheries Management Scotland has issued an advice note on Pink Salmon, which can be read here.
Header image credit Nigel Fell
