A Pink Salmon was caught on the Free Stretch of the River Wear at Durham a couple of days ago. Members need to be aware as EA recommendations are that these fish must not be returned to the water. A Pink Salmon can be recognised by:
- Large black oval spots on the tail
- Bluish back, silver flanks and white belly
- Much smaller scales than an Atlantic salmon of the same size
- Very dark mouth and tongue
- 40-60cm in length
- Breeding males develop a distinctive hump
Anglers holding a salmon licence who catch pink salmon are asked not to return the fish to the water. Instead they are asked to dispatch it humanely and, if possible, make the fish available to the Environment Agency for inspection and further analysis: EA number 0800 80 70 60
Full EA recommendations of what to do if you catch a Pink Salmon and how to recognise one can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/anglers-urged-to-be-vigilant-for-invasive-pink-salmon