The quest for successful Atlantic salmon restoration: perspectives, priorities, and maxims

• Published in: ICES Journal of Marine Science
• Main Authors: Lennox, Robert, Alexandre, Carlos, Almeida, Pedro, Bailey, Kevin, Barlaup, Bjørn, Bøe, Kristin, Breukelaar, André, Erkinaro, Jaakko, Forseth, Torbjørn, Gabrielsen, Sven-Erik, Halfyard, Edmund, Hanssen, Erlend, Karlsson, Sten, Koch, Stephanie, Koed, Anders, Langåker, Roy, Lo, Håvard, Lucas, Martyn, Mahlum, Shad, Perrier, Charles, Pulg, Ulrich, Sheehan, Timothy, Skoglund, Helge, Svenning, Martin, Thorstad, Eva, Velle, Gaute, Whoriskey, Frederick, Vollset, Knut Wiik
• Other Authors: NORCE Norwegian Research Center, Laboratorium for ferskvannsøkologi og innlandsfiske (LFI), University of Évora Portugal, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Portugal (MARE), Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida = University Institute of Psychological, Social and Life Sciences (ISPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Norwegian Veterinary Institute Oslo, Rijkswaterstaat Delft, Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Nova Scotia Salmon Association (NSSALMON), DTU Aqua, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet = Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Norwegian Environmental Agency, Durham University, Department of Biosciences, Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (UMR CBGP), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD France-Sud )-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro - Montpellier SupAgro, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Biological Sciences Bergen (BIO / UiB), University of Bergen (UiB), Dalhousie University Halifax, Ocean Tracking network, Dalhousie University, The workshop on salmon restoration was hosted by NORCE Norwegian Research Centre with support from the Norwegian Environmental Directorate. Lennox was supported by the Research Council of Norway (LaKES Project #320726). Vollset was supported by the Research Council of Norway (PaCE Project #303301).
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2021
• Subjects: ecosystem services; remediation; restoration; salmonidae; success; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; Atlantic salmon; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03753803; https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsab201

International audience Atlantic salmon is often a focal species of restoration efforts throughout the north Atlantic and it is therefore an excellent case study for how best to design programmes to address and mitigate threats and correct population declines. This perspective is written to promote the work that has been accomplished towards restoration of Atlantic salmon populations and synthesize how we believe the lessons can be used effectively to support efforts by management agencies to restore populations. We reviewed where restoration is needed for Atlantic salmon, agreed on definitions for three levels of successful restoration, and then applied these criteria to 49 published papers focused on Atlantic salmon restoration. We identified 16 successful examples of restoration among 49 papers reviewed and discussed what interventions led to success versus failure. We then addressed key questions about when hatchery stocking should be used as part of a restoration measure and whether local restoration efforts are enough when these wide-ranging species encounter broad-scale changes in the north Atlantic, specifically related to issues of climate change and to marine survival. We advise to avoid restoration as much as possible by protecting and managing existing populations and when restoration is necessary, problems should be identified and addressed in partnership with river users. With appropriate resources and research to resolve ongoing mysteries, restoration of lost Atlantic salmon populations is absolutely feasible.